The Primal Primate
by Nate Grey
Summary: Ron's Mystical Monkey Power suddenly has a mind seperate from his own, and they don't get along. Which is bad. Because Monkey Fist is summoning more ancient spirits to their world, and suddenly Ron isn't the only one acting entirely unlike himself. In the middle of it all, Tara agrees to go out with Ron, and Bonnie's reaction is the last thing either of them was expecting.
1. Default Chapter

Notes: This is the sequel to "Bonnie, From Behind" and "Ron, In Reverse" (the second chapter, in case you missed it). If it seems like Bonnie has completely forgotten what Ron did for her there, don't worry, she's just being Bonnie.

Summary: Monkey Fist's surrender is unexpected, and so is the sudden transformation that begins in Ron. But when the Mystical Monkey Power begins to take control of his entire life, Ron finds they have very different ideas about what he needs.

**The Primal Primate**

**A Kim Possible Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (XMAN0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

"KP, I think I'm gonna ask Tara to the dance next week."

If Kim gave any sign that she heard her best friend speaking, she didn't show it. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and carefully finished cleaning her grappling gun with a well-oiled cloth.

"Uh...KP?" Ron asked.

"I heard you, Ron," Kim replied, putting the gun back in her mission pack, and sliding the whole thing back under her bed.

"So...what do you think?"

Kim turned to face him. "What I think is that Tara is number...three on your list of girls you always ask to the dance, right?"

"Yeah, but what do you think?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, Ron. How is it any different from every other time you've asked her?"

"Every other time, I just asked her out of the blue," Ron explained. "This time, I made a preemptive strike."

"Meaning?" Kim asked.

Ron smiled smugly. "I waved to her in the cafeteria earlier this week. And I said hi to her right before you started the flippy drills yesterday at cheer practice."

Kim blinked a few times, still confused. "Uh huh. You going somewhere with this?"

"Don't you get it, KP? She knows I'm noticing her! Now she'll be more likely to say yes!"

"You think because you waved and said hi that she'll suddenly go to a dance with you?" Kim asked with a slight smile.

"Well, no. But my chances have gone up, at least! That's gotta count for something!"

"Not if she doesn't say yes, unless you're working on her for next year," Kim pointed out. "And I'm not saying she won't. I just don't want you to be disappointed again."

"Don't sweat it, KP. I can take rejection. But I think I've really got a shot this time."

"So, is this your way of saying I shouldn't be turning down any offers I've gotten?" Kim asked. "Or were you planning to fall back on my not having a date like last year?"

She was almost glad to see Ron wince. In truth, she hadn't really minded going with him. It had been turning down all those cute boys that had been hard in the end. Kim still would've preferred that they both got their own dates, and then just saved a dance for each other at some point. She was getting the distinct feeling that Ron felt the same way, only the offers didn't really pour in for him like they did for her. Every year, he dusted off his list of potential dates, and every year, he ended up running back to her at the last minute. Well, at least he still tried to get his own date.

"No, I'm gonna stand on my own two feet this year," Ron decided. "Even if they're alone at the dance."

Kim punched his shoulder playfully. "You've always got a spot on my dance card, if worst comes to worst."

He smiled faintly. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, KP." He sighed. "It would be great if she said yes, though."

Kim nodded. "Well, can I offer some free advice?"

"I'm all ears!" Ron replied eagerly.

"Don't, I repeat, DON'T ask Tara when she's within ten feet of Bonnie. And I'll know if you did by the look on your face."

"Are you trying to imply that Bonnie controls Tara?"

"No, Ron. I'm saying that if you ask Tara out while Bonnie is within earshot, the only way she'd say yes is if she felt sorry for you after Bonnie got done chewing you up and spitting you out verbally. I doubt you want a yes under those conditions. You can do better than a pity date."

"Hey, if pity snags me Tara, I can take Bonnie's barbs."

Kim shook her head. "I didn't tell you that just for you, Ron. I was thinking of Tara, too. She and Bonnie are tight. Not like we are, but still pretty tight. Whether Bonnie is there or not, Tara will be thinking of what she'd say. We just have to hope that she likes you more than she likes staying on Bonnie's good side and going with some muscle-bound lunkhead that can't spell his name to save his life."

Ron stared at her. "Kinda down on the jocks this year, are we?"

Kim snorted. "Brick TOLD me I should go with him. It's my duty as a cheerleader, apparently."

"And you said?"

"That he could go to hell."

"Ouch, KP!"

"He was a straight JERK, Ron! Like I couldn't do better than him!"

"Can't he read? You can do anything!"

"No on both counts," Kim sighed. "I can't change the way people think. If I could, Tara wouldn't ever be under Bonnie's influence. No one would, for that matter."

"Ah, but we need the in-crowd, KP. Someone has to keep the jocks busy between games, or they'd just keep charging into things. And I think I speak for all of those things when I say I'd rather see Brick dancing with Bonnie than dancing on my face out of sheer boredom."

Kim frowned. "Ron, is he still giving you trouble?"

Ron blinked, slowly realizing what he'd just admitted. "Not so much. Hardly ever. On occasion. Rarely. Just a bit."

"More than you'd like?"

"Well, I don't like it at all."

"Then it's too much," Kim said firmly. "Ron, I know you can take care of yourself. I've seen you tackle Drakken more than once, and you can't have gotten too bad since the last time we sparred. So why is it that Brick is still a headache for you?"

"See, he has these really meaty fists, and they're kind of drawn to my head-"

"Stop it, Ron. I'm serious. Why aren't you defending yourself? Or, at the very least, why aren't you dodging?"

"It doesn't matter, KP," Ron said, clearly uncomfortable.

Kim glared at him. "Do you remember when that harpoon nicked my leg?"

"I'll never forget it! There was so much blood, and-"

"And you cried like a baby because you thought I was really hurt."

Ron turned bright red. "What does that have to do with-"

"That's the way I feel whenever I see you with a black eye. Or a busted lip. More than that, it makes me angry. It reminds me that no matter how much good I do, there are still some people in this world that are so petty, they have nothing better to do than pick on my best friend, who wouldn't hurt a fly. I'm sick of feeling that way, Ron. If I ever find out that Brick even looked at you wrong, I'm going to slam his face into a locker."

Ron shook his head. "KP, don't. I don't need you to protect me."

"I know you don't! But you won't do it yourself!" Kim cried.

"I have my reasons."

"Name one."

"You're supposed to save the world, not me."

Kim grabbed his head with both hands. "You ARE my world, stupid! That's why I'm so mad right now! No one has any right to put their hands on you, ever! And you shouldn't let them!"

Ron pulled away, his face flushed. "KP, please, just drop it."

"Not unless you can tell me exactly why I shouldn't care when my best friend gets needlessly hurt. Can you honestly tell me that if Brick hurt me, you wouldn't be out for blood?"

Ron looked away. "That's different."

"No, it isn't. You're still my best friend either way. It might not be a mission, Ron, but that doesn't mean I stop watching your back."

"And I appreciate it. But I don't want you defending me when it's not a mission. I handle Brick my own way."

"You mean you GET handled."

Ron glared at her. "I'm not talking about this anymore. You don't understand."

"I sure don't," Kim replied bitterly. "Guess I missed the memo where loving your best friend became a bad thing."

Ron bit his lip to keep from saying anything. Finally, he stood up. "I need to go," he said simply, before walking out of the room.

Kim sighed in frustration and shook her head. She actually did understand why Ron wouldn't want her fighting for him. What she couldn't figure out is why he wouldn't fight for himself.

* * *

Tara tried to look determined as she walked out of Club Banana with Bonnie. It was time for some good old fashioned honesty, no matter how mad it would make her friend.

"Bonnie? I think Ron is going to ask me to the dance."

Bonnie didn't even blink. "And?"

"Well, he's asked every time. Roughly three days after every dance is announced, like clockwork."

"What's your point, Tara?"

Tara decided to just get it over with. "I think I'm going to say yes."

Bonnie didn't explode on the spot, or shoot her a look. "He has a list he uses every year. You're number three." As an afterthought, she added, "I'm number two."

"How do you know?"

"Amelia pried it out of him when she got tired of being asked. Then she told me. She's number one."

It occurred to Tara that Bonnie might still be trying to convince her not to go with Ron, although not in her usual way. "I'm still going to say yes, I think."

"Why?"

"Well...he does ask. He wouldn't if he didn't find us attractive, right? Plus, he's sweet, and funny, and-"

"Weird," Bonnie added.

"Yeah," Tara admitted. "But's he's not a bad guy. You know that. He'd be more interesting to talk to than most of the guys I've said yes to."

"So what are you telling me for? You want my blessing, or permission?"

Tara glared at her. "I'm telling you because we're friends, and we always compare dates. I don't NEED your permission to go out with Ron."

"Fine," Bonnie muttered, clearly upset about something.

* * *

Ron carefully pulled the head of the Middleton Mad Dog off of his own head and settled it in his lap. He'd been avoiding Kim all day, and he was amazed at how hard it was. So much of his day revolved around spending time with her. But then, she was his best friend, so he shouldn't have been surprised. What surprised him more was how much he missed her, even though she'd been just a few feet away during cheer practice.

"Why can't she understand, MD?" Ron muttered, staring into the Mad Dog's snarling face. "Can't she just respect that I have a reason?"

There was no answer, and if Ron had gotten one, he probably would've dropped the head and run away screaming.

A finger poked his shoulder. "Hey, Mad Dog. Tara is currently Bonnie-free. Might wanna swoop in while you can."

Ron's head whipped around, surprise coating his features as he stared up at Kim.

"Don't look at me like that. Just because we're fighting doesn't mean I stop caring completely about your happiness."

Ron instantly felt even worse about walking out on her. "KP..." he began.

Kim shook her head. "We can talk anytime, Ron. You need to get yourself a date right now. I ran into three guys today that plan on asking Tara out." She turned to leave, but he grabbed her hand.

"KP? Thanks," Ron said quietly.

She didn't turn around, but she did squeeze his hand gently before walking away.

Ron tucked the Mad Dog under his right arm and took a deep breath, strolling over to where Tara was lacing up her sneakers. "Hey, Tara."

She looked up and flashed him a sunny smile as she finished. "Hey, Ron."

"Got a minute?" he asked, hoping he sounded casual enough.

Tara nodded. "Sure, just catching my breath. What's up?"

Ron could clearly see what she meant. Kim had drilled the squad a bit longer and harder than usual (he really hoped that wasn't his fault). At any rate, he could see that Tara was coated in a thin sheen of sweat. He tried hard to be too obvious about his noticing (not to mention his liking what he saw). "Um, I was wondering...uh...if you had a date to the dance next week?"

Tara looked surprised. "Why would you wonder that?"

Ron blushed, but played it off rather well. "I feel it's my duty to make sure every cute girl has a date to the dance, so I've just been going around asking."

"Oh," Tara said, sounding slightly disappointed. "I thought you'd come over to ask ME to the dance..."

Ron coughed nervously. "So, hypothetically speaking, if I WERE to ask you to the dance, your answer would be...?"

"Yes," Tara replied at once. "That is, if you WERE asking me. But you're not, are you? I was sure you were going with Kim again..."

"We were both interested in expanding our horizons this year," Ron said. "And we got sick of going together."

Tara couldn't help the small giggle that escaped her. "So, technically you don't have a date yourself?"

"Actually, I was hoping to fix that today."

"Really? How?"

Ron glanced around and leaned close to her ear, as if sharing some big secret. "See, there's this really pretty blond cheerleader I've had my eye on for a while now, and I'm trying to work up the courage to ask her out."

Tara blushed, though whether it was from Ron's proximity or the obvious secret was uncertain. "Maybe you should try offering to let her hold your Mad Dog. I'll bet she thinks it's kinda cute and fuzzy."

"Nah, I don't think she's a dog person," Ron sighed. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Say...YOU wouldn't wanna...?" He held out the Mad Dog invitingly.

Tara happily accepted the Mad Dog and rubbed it against her cheek. "It's no good," she decided with a sigh. "I'd rather have the boy beneath the Mad Dog taking me to the dance. If only he'd ask me..."

"I'm sure he'd beg and plead at your feet, if he thought he stood a chance." He moved as if to do that, but Tara placed a hand on his arm.

"Okay, we've beat around the bush long enough. Ron, would you like to take me to the dance?"

His eyes widened. "You mean I can? Really?"

"On one condition."

"Name it."

Tara hesitated only for a second. "You have to ask Bonnie to dance at some point."

Ron blinked a few times. "Okay, but why?"

"As a favor to me. Deal?"

"Deal." His face lit up a bit. "So...you and me? Together? At a social function where everyone can see us?"

Tara nodded and smiled. "That's the idea, yes."

"And you don't mind being seen with me?"

"Not if you don't mind being seen with a 'dumb blonde' like me."

"Hey, you're not dumb! That's an unfair stereotype!"

Tara smiled. "I know. Just wanted to see if you'd defend me. I think you'll make a great date. And after that, who knows?"

Ron gaped. "You mean you'd be seen with me for more than one night?"

"Speaking of unfair stereotypes: Ron, you are not a loser. If you were, Kim wouldn't hang out with you."

"I thought you didn't like Kim?"

"Bonnie doesn't like Kim," Tara corrected. "I don't hang out with her much for Bonnie's sake. But I can still see she's a good person. And good people have great taste in friends. So I'm wondering why you two didn't speak all through practice."

"Oh, that." Ron scratched the back of his neck nervously. "We're, uh, having a little spat. No big."

"I hope not. You two are like milk and cereal; you go together. I'd hate to be the one that comes between you."

"Don't worry, Kim doesn't have any problem with you."

"You mean she doesn't now," Tara pointed out. "I'd really like it if you could patch things up with her before the dance. How Kim feels will play a large part in how happy we are together. And I don't want you feeling like you have to choose between us."

"What about you and Bonnie?" Ron asked.

Tara smiled. "Let me worry about her. You just worry about Kim."

* * *

"Peace offering," Kim said as soon as Ron came through her door. She held up a large box.

"Uh...I didn't know we were bringing gifts," Ron admitted nervously.

"That's okay. You're here. That's enough for me. Open it."

Ron removed the lid. "Wow! A new Mad Dog head!"

"Rabid eyes and extra thick foaming action. Wade hooked me up."

"But you didn't have to do this, KP."

"I wanted to, Ron." Kim paused and took a deep breath. "Can I go first?"

Ron sat down. "Okay."

"I meant everything I said yesterday. The thought of you being hurt for no reason makes me furious. But you said you had one, and I believe you. I don't understand why you won't share it with me, though. Is it that personal, or is it that you just don't want me to know?"

Ron sighed heavily. "If it was anything else, you'd be the first to know, KP. But I need to keep this to myself. I'm sorry."

"I thought you'd say that," Kim murmured. "So I suggest a compromise. As long as I don't see you getting beat up, I won't interfere. But any incidents that I see come under my jurisdiction. You can't ask me to watch you get hurt and do nothing."

"That's fair," Ron agreed. "So long as you don't hang around me more than usual, in hopes of witnessing said events, anyway."

"I won't, I promise."

"So we're cool, then?"

"Only if I can have a hug from my best friend," Kim replied, holding out her arms.

Ron grinned as he stood up, crossed the room, and wrapped his arms around Kim. "Missed you, KP," he murmured into her hair. He expected her to say the same.

Instead, Kim closed her eyes and pressed her face into his shoulder. Even then, it was still all too easy to hear what came out of her mouth.

"I love you, Ron."

His whole body went stiff. "You, uh...meant that in a best friend way, right?" he asked slowly, his voice trembling.

"Of course," Kim said softly, pulling back to stare into his eyes. "It's why I can't stand to watch you get hurt. I still wish you'd tell me the reason, but I won't let that stop us from being best buds."

"Glad to hear it, KP. Now we can get back to being one big, nutritious bowl of cornflakes."

Kim blinked. "Um...what? Where did that come from?"

"Tara. She thinks we make a good team. Oh, and she said yes!"

"Ron, that's great!" Kim said, giving him a big squeeze. "I knew you could do it if you just kept trying."

"Yeah, I think I gradually wore her down. Hope Bonnie doesn't give her too hard a time over me, though."

"I wouldn't worry too much. If Tara said yes to you, then at least she still makes her own decisions."

A familiar beeping interrupted them, and Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator. "Go, Wade."

"Sorry to break this up, guys, but duty calls."

"Hey, no prob, Wade," Ron replied. "By the way, awesome job on the fierce new MD, my man!"

Wade smiled. "Glad you like it, Ron. I hope it's rekindled your fighting spirit, because you're going to need it. Monkey Fist is calling you out, but not for the usual reason, if you believe the message."

Kim's eyes narrowed. "What does he want, Wade?"

"That's the weird thing. He says he wants to surrender, but he'll only do it if Ron takes him in personally. I've got his coordinates; he's on a beach in Hawaii. Nothing monkey-related there as far as I can see, though."

"I don't like this," Kim said. "It sounds way too easy. What do you think, Ron?"

Ron shrugged. "Gotta be a trap, but we almost have to go, KP. We couldn't take the chance that he might be serious. We might never have to worry about monkey ninja madness again."

"Guess it's settled, then," Kim agreed. "Wade, transportation?"

"Already done. U.S. Air Force is on the way. ETA: fifteen minutes."

* * *

Next Chapter: The rather suspicious surrender of Monkey Fist...goes exactly as it should?

Reviews!

gargoylesama

Very good Ron/Bon potential.

_Well, that's one way to look at it. But it would take a lot more effort, especially on Bonnie's part, to make them work. And there's still Tara to consider. The story will, however, deal somewhat with Bonnie's feelings for Ron, whatever they may be (or grow into)._

* * *

Serpent King

Me like. While neither Bonnie nor Ron are on my top 3 favorite KP characters, I still like this story.

_They aren't my top three, either. I prefer Kim, Shego, and Monique. But I like a challenge every now and then. Plus I couldn't figure out why people kept putting Ron and Bonnie together, at first._

* * *

gargoylesama

I am sorry that I didn't see this when it was posted. I enjoyed reading it. A different take on the Bonnie/Tara friendship. I really enjoy stories that flesh these two. From my Bonnie story that is probably obvious. This does seem to be a one shot, but there is so much potential for more.

_Tara doesn't get much to talk much (if you look hard, she's almost always there in the background), but from what I've gathered, she manages to stay on Bonnie's good side without actually being mean. Which puzzles me to no end. Had to explore it a bit. Your story definitely showed me the other side of Bonnie (the Bon-Bon side)._

* * *

Serpent King

Interesting. Did the bonding incident not have any effect on Kim? I don't think I've ever seen a super Kim fic. Though her leaping ability is inhuman.

_I feel like Kim is super enough: the leaping is a perfect example. "Able to leap cheerleader pyramids in a single bound..." Not to mention that routine she did in "A Sitch in Time," and THAT was when she was starting out, no less._

* * *

Triaxx2

Interesting, the ability to direct energy in order to adjust density. And she's just as big a monster as usual.

_I got the idea from Mr. Incredible…and Strong Guy. Sort of. It's hard to explain exactly._

_I don't really consider Bonnie a monster, just amazingly insensitive. At least where her own friend(s) are concerned. With Kim and Ron, it's blatant meanness, though._

* * *

Jezrianna2.0

Wow. Wow! WOW! Great story! I'm in awe. You handled everything perfectly. Your insights into Bonnie's and Tara's feelings were incredible. This story is going on my favorites list.

_That's a list I'm very proud to be on!_

_And I wouldn't call it insight, so much as assumption._

* * *

Cursed20

Wow. Great story! Please update soon--the pairings are really nice.

Also, about Bonnie's strength thing. 10X won't really do much, since she is a petite girl. Now nothing against girls, but most skinny ones with Bonnie's build at 10X strength would probably be slightly stronger than a football player with Brick's build. I say this not in terms of lifting but as in overall body strength. You might want to make Bonnie x100. After all, putting a dent in tiles would have to put you at around Spiderman level unless you had some amazing training.

_Keep in mind that Bonnie is guesstimating when she says she's ten (or eight) times stronger than Kim, and that her power doesn't work like Spidey's (nor does she completely understand it at this point). The big difference is that Spidey's strength applies to his whole body and he doesn't necessarily have to focus to use it, where Bonnie has to have one or more focal points for hers. And don't sell Bonnie short. She doesn't have regular missions like Kim, but she is no slouch when it comes to cheerleading or ballet. That may not seem like amazing training to you, but at the very least it means she can pull off Kim's vertical leap (during one of the Wannaweep eps) and be just as flexible, if not more._

* * *

Mooncat

Nice! Love the fact Bonnie is the focus character. Dialogue was spot on Fun and enjoyable fic. I'm not much for a "Ron gets the girl" type fic, but this fic was very charming.

_Ah, c'mon. How often does Ron really GET the girl? Just look at the first episode. I mean, he practically reinvented being shot down._

* * *

Daryl

forget ron why didn't you just make the story pairing bonnie and tara and just do your series focusing on them as a couple

_I have other fics for that pairing. Bonnie and Tara's feelings for each other (and Ron) will come into play, but maybe not in the way you're hoping._

* * *

imageisnothing

awesome fic this is what should happen nice portrayal of bonnie's character

_I like to think most people are mean for a reason. With Bonnie, we've seen that she's the baby of the family, and I can vouch for how annoying that can be. Also she's popular, which can be stressful, being so fake 24/7. She has this overwhelming need to be the best, which Kim is constantly challenging. So they hate each other._


	2. Caged Monkeys

Chapter 2: Caged Monkeys

Kim grabbed her partner's arm as they boarded the plane. "I don't like this, Ron. Monkey Fist hasn't tried anything at all."

"Do you really want him to try something in here, KP?" Ron asked. "The last thing I want is to be trapped with him and a bunch of monkey ninjas at 30,000 feet, but at least they're in cages."

"But this is so not like him. He never gives up without an all-out fight. So tell me why he just walked up and let us slap the cuffs on him? I haven't even heard a peep out of the monkey ninjas yet."

"Maybe he's getting old and senile. Maybe he finally figured out that we've got his number. Maybe he had a couple of bad bananas. Does it matter, so long as we get to lock him up? I mean, you'd never have to worry about being turned into a monkey again. Why are you fighting this?"

Kim sighed. "I'm not fighting it, I'm just saying this was way too easy."

"Things could just be looking up for us, KP. Tara says yes, we patch things up, I get a new Mad Dog head, Monkey Fist surrenders. See how all the good karma is coming back to us? I wouldn't be surprised if we got back only to find Bonnie turning over a new leaf."

"I don't know if karma handles modern day miracles, Ron. Let's just keep a close eye on Tall, Dark, and Hairy until he's secured, okay?"

"No worries, Kim. The Ronster is on the job!" Ron replied confidently.

That, however, was exactly what worried Kim. Monkey Fist's fixation on Ron had landed them in some dangerous plots, and she was always worried that Ron wouldn't be able to handle whatever the simian supercriminal threw at them next. It was less a lack of faith in Ron, and more an abundance of caution when it came to trusting Monkey Fist's word. He was an honorable foe, but still a foe, one prone to manic behavior when things didn't go as he planned. She couldn't shake the feeling that this sudden surrender might also be part of a plan that she and Ron just didn't see...yet.

* * *

Lord Monkey Fist took another deep, cleansing breath, momentarily pausing in the midst of his intense meditation. Keeping his eyes closed, he allowed the rest of his senses to tell him all he needed to know about his surroundings.

His paws brushed against the heavy handcuffs on his wrists, designed especially to withstand any extra strength he might've acquired in the months since his last encounter with Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable.

His ears picked up the muted roar of the plane's engines, the silence in which his monkey minions waited, and the relentless pacing of his captors (their worried, suspicious murmuring was the sweetest music to him).

His nose caught the familiar scent of Stoppable: a hint of spice, sweat...and rat dander. Beyond that, lacing it, almost protectively, was the accursed aroma of whatever body wash Kim Possible used, and had used since she'd first foiled his plans some time ago. Why humans insisted on dousing themselves in these artificial odors, he had never quite figured out. As they tended to wreak havoc on his nose, he generally did his best to avoid them entirely. The last time he'd bothered to wear cologne himself...well, that evening with Amy, as he recalled. And, bless her, she'd confessed to preferring his natural musk, anyway.

"So what's the deal, Monkey Fist?" Ron Stoppable's voice broke into his thoughts. "What's your real gameplan?"

Slowly, Lord Monkey Fist opened his eyes, regarding the young man in front of him with obvious disdain, and grudging, if only slight, respect. But he did not answer.

Stoppable didn't look impressed. "You can give me the cold shoulder all you want, but we both know you're up to something. The sooner you fess up, the sooner I convince Kim not to donate your monkey pals for animal testing."

It was an empty threat if he'd ever heard one. Stoppable himself was an animal lover, and no doubt at least some small part of Kim Possible's justice-stooped heart would feel pity for his monkey followers. He was certain that she wasn't capable of being so cruel. But if Stoppable was desperate enough to make a bluff like that, then he really did have them on edge.

Perfect.

Satisfied, Lord Monkey Fist closed his eyes and slipped back into his meditative trance...although not quite as deeply as before. He waited until he sensed that Stoppable was about to give up and walk away.

"You are a very fortunate young man, Ron Stoppable. Yet you insist on wasting the gifts that Fate has seen fit to bless you with."

"Yeah, you know, I think I'd remember getting a gift box with 'From: Fate' on the card," Ron pointed out.

"Always willing to play the jester to her queen, aren't you? You could be so much more, and you don't even realize it."

"Right. And this is the part where you make me an offer I can't refuse?"

"Hardly. You would be too foolish to accept, anyway. I am merely making you aware of what I sense from that which dwells within you."

"Oh, sorry 'bout that, dude. See, they had these new refried beans at Bueno Nacho, and you have to watch how you sit afterwards, or they just go straight through-"

"I was referring," Lord Monkey Fist interrupted with an edge to his tone, "to the portion of the Mystical Monkey Power that lives in you."

"Look, if this another plot to trap me because you're all hottie for the Ron-Man's body, you can just stop it right now. You had your chance to get all the power, and you blew it. Not our fault. We were just doing our job."

"Ah. 'Doing our job.' Amazing, how you display such determination in ruining my plans, and yet you refuse to carry out your duties as the Chosen One. Is that not also your task?"

"Back up. You don't get to tell the good guys what to do."

"I do when they're willing to let the Mystical Monkey Power fade into obscurity. Have you no idea what that magic represents? What it means to possess it? Surely Sensei taught you that much? Or did you oversleep and miss that lesson?"

"You're not worthy enough to say that man's name," Ron sneered at him.

"Just as you are not worthy of so many things that you take for granted: your pure fool's luck. The Mystical Monkey Power. Your status as the Chosen One." He lowered his voice slightly. "And, of course, Kim Possible's love."

"You just became really unfunny, Monkey Fist," Ron growled.

"At least tell me you knew the latter. How could she possibly feel any other way? Pun intended. Why else would she insist on dragging you along after her on every single mission?"

"Kim is my friend. Not that you'd know anything about that."

Lord Monkey Fist sighed and shook his head. "If you knew how to listen to what lies within, then you would know that label is temporary at best. But I think you will learn, all too soon, that you can only deny what should be natural for you for so long."

"Speaking of things that should come naturally, you're about two seconds away from the natural buttwhooping we should've given you the second we spotted you. I got no problem with going Mystical Monkey all over your face."

"I think you might," Lord Monkey Fist countered, "considering you never make use of it. In fact, I think if you did try to use the power, you wouldn't be able to stop until you'd decimated everything in this plane: me, my minions, the pilots, and even your precious Kim Possible."

"I can control it," Ron snapped at him.

"You have that backwards, Ron Stoppable. It is what controls you. It allows you to think you're calling the shots. For now. But I assure you, the day will come when it decides to run wild. I regret only that I won't be there to see it happen. For when that day comes, you will not know friend from foe, nor love from hate. Not that you will care at that point, mind you. I eagerly await the day when I hear that Kim Possible was finally taken down by the one she trusted the most, and I will throw back my head and laugh on into the night, because only I knew it would happen that way." He paused and smiled to himself. "That is why I do not attempt to destroy you today, young man. Because I know it is your destiny to be your own doom. Yours, and hers."

* * *

It was her own fault for not keeping a closer eye on Ron, Kim realized as the plane was suddenly filled the sound of many monkeys screeching. She'd been talking to Wade when it happened, trusting that Ron wouldn't let Monkey Fist get to him, and that the cages would keep Ron safe.

She hadn't considered Monkey Fist's safety, though, or that Ron might not be concerned enough to do anything about it.

Certainly she never expected that he'd be the one to endanger it.

But when she looked up, Ron had reached through the bars and was strangling Monkey Fist mercilessly, his face red with rage. And, for some reason, Monkey Fist was doing nothing to stop him. Kim wasn't sure what shocked her more: that Ron, RON, would do that to anyone, or that a self-proclaimed Master of Monkey Kung Fu could be manhandled that way, even while handcuffed in a cage.

Kim had no choice but to act in the way she knew best, despite the fact that this was her best friend. She knew words would do nothing at that point, so she let her actions speak for her.

She recalled the last time she'd used a sleeper hold, and it had been on a man easily three times her weight. She thought Ron responded well, considering he was out in mere seconds. And as he went limp in her arms, Kim gave voice to the thought that kept running through her head.

"Why, Ron? Why would you do this?"

"He sees the end," Monkey Fist whispered hoarsely, a wild look in his eyes. "He sees the end, and he fears it. So should you, Kim Possible."

* * *

Next Chapter: Something speaks to Ron, and Tara breaks away.

Reviews!

AnimationLasi

I have to say, so far this is one of the BEST Kim Possible fics I have ever read! You do a perfect job keeping them all in character, (Ron presents no end of problems for me,) and anyone that uses Bonnie for something other than the butt of some great cosmic joke has a great mind, as you've conclusively proven.

Can't wait to see what Monkey Fist is up to, if he's up to anything at all. (Given his character though, it is rather hard to believe that he is serious.)

Please, please, please keep up the good work and update soon!

_No offense, but you sound REALLY easy to please. I mean, it's just the first chapter. There's people that USE Bonnie, and then there's people that use her. I like to think I'm the latter. Monkey Fist actually is going to surrender. Which doesn't mean he still isn't up to anything, mind you._

* * *

ryan

Love that the story could go three ways. Also on how kim seems to be liking ron before he dose. I like the long chapter and i hope you can update frequently.

_Don't read too much into the hug. Kim meant exactly what she said, as you'll see later on. I have other things planned for her love life, and Ron's as well. "Frequent" updates are a matter of interpretation._

* * *

Daryl

great chapter. you said you had other fics for the bonnie/tara pairing what are there titles

_Okay, so there's really only one right now: The Invasion Interlude (chapter 7). Maybe that'll change one day. As far as this story goes, I don't see Bonnie and Tara being anything other than friends._


	3. Stepping Out

Chapter 3: Stepping Out

Ron took another bite of what he hoped was fruit cocktail, and tried not to be obvious about watching Kim watch him.

Ever since Monkey Fist's surrender, there had been an unspoken agreement between them. Ron had offered no excuses for the incident that followed, nor had Kim asked for any. Perhaps they were both afraid of the answers, but Ron was more afraid of what Kim might be thinking. He had never told her about Mystical Monkey Power, or his time in Japan, or the Lotus Blade. As far as she knew, the power was just a legend created by some superstitious, monkey-obsessed ninjas.

But Kim Possible wasn't stupid, and with enough clues, she would begin to piece things together. Ron knew that all too well, and suddenly understood why Sensei had insisted he tell no one of his adventure at the secret ninja school. The even greater danger, however, was that Kim might come to the wrong conclusion. And Ron had seen far too many cheesy soap operas to risk their friendship on a stupid misunderstanding. So while he couldn't exactly tell her the truth, he had to be ready to stop her if she started thinking the wrong things about him.

Of course, since they hadn't talked, he had no idea what she was thinking. In fact, Ron was a little more worried about Monkey Fist's little prophecy. Because while Monty had been known to go ape every now and then, he hadn't seemed at all crazy when he'd spoken those words. Ron wanted to believe that Monkey Fist was nuts, but he couldn't. That was the easy way out, and his instincts told him that ignoring the warning, if that was what it had been, would be a grave mistake. Especially if it would endanger Kim's life.

The thought of losing her in any way was painful enough, but to death was even worse. At least over hurt feelings, there was a chance of getting her back. But even Kim Possible couldn't turn back death, once it had a firm hold on her. And if Kim couldn't do it, how could he?

Ron tried not to think about it as he slowly chewed on a cherry. He had just swallowed it when he sensed someone approaching him from behind. How he knew this in a crowded, noisy cafeteria, he couldn't be sure. But he was just as sure that there was no cause for alarm, for some reason, and went on eating his desert.

A few seconds later, Tara sat down beside him and continued eating what remained of her own fruit cocktail.

If Kim was at all bothered by this, she showed it by continuing to eat in silence as she subtly observed Ron...and now Tara as well.

Suspecting that maybe he shouldn't be too obvious about speaking to Tara, Ron murmured, "Don't you usually eat with Bonnie?"

"Yup," Tara replied. "But I thought I'd enjoy eating dessert with you guys. I was right, too."

"Won't Bonnie miss you?"

Tara seemed the slightest bit annoyed by the question. "If she does, she knows exactly where I am. She can either keep on missing me, or do the mature thing and join me."

Kim looked up at that, but kept her mouth shut.

"That doesn't seem like something Bonnie would do," Ron warned her.

Tara grinned. "You'd be surprised what Bonnie would do, when it's important enough to her. I'd like to think I fall in that category, but I guess we'll know soon enough." She paused and studied Ron carefully. "Is there a reason you keep asking after Bonnie?"

Ron's face turned red, and he suddenly became very interested in his cocktail. "Sorry. I didn't mean to. On purpose, I mean. It's just...weird that you would choose to sit with us, instead of her."

"Well, maybe it shouldn't be. Maybe it won't be anymore."

"I think I'd like that," Kim said suddenly, startling them. "We could use the company. Right, Ron?"

"Um...sure," Ron agreed, shooting her a curious look. But Kim didn't meet his eyes once as she and Tara launched into a conversation about something that didn't really interest him. Ron allowed his attention to wane and then vanish entirely. He found himself wondering if Bonnie was watching them right then. Then he wondered if Tara would be mad that he was wondering about Bonnie again. And why was he, for that matter?

Ron let his eyes wander for a bit, and then allowed them to close. For no real reason, he felt very relaxed all of a sudden. Or maybe the girls' chatter was just making him drowsy. His head was just starting to droop when he heard it.

_"Mate."_

His eyes snapped open and shifted left and right warily, but he didn't see anyone looking back at him. Confused, and a little worried, Ron tried to drift off again. He had probably imagined it, or maybe he just hadn't gotten enough sleep, and his mind was playing-

_"Mate."_

Ron swallowed hard and lifted his head. Still nothing or no one that he could see, but now he was really scared. Maybe it wouldn't seem too weird if he excused himself and just slowly left the table. That was the best thing to do, because if he kept hearing that deep, commanding voice, he was going to start thinking that it was talking only to him, and things would only go downhill from there. If he could get Kim to catch on, she'd help him invent an excuse. He hated to lie to Tara, but he couldn't tell her why he really had to leave. That would just-

_"Tara mate."_

Ron nearly fell out of his chair as he realized two things: first, that voice was exclusively in his head, and second, that it wasn't just spouting off random words. Well, it was, because there was no way Tara would ever...they hadn't even been on a single date yet, so why did this voice think she was the type to-

_"Must claim mate. Tara mate."_

Oh, this was just getting worse and worse by the moment. From Ron's viewpoint, anyway. He now had a horny voice in his head that REALLY liked Tara, and he had no idea how to silence it.

_"Claim. Mate. Tara. CLAIM TARA. CLAIM MA-"_

"Ron?" Tara asked softly, touching his arm.

Ron jumped slightly. "Huh? Wassat?"

"I said, is something wrong? You had this weird look on your face."

"I did?" Ron's face paled. "What kind of look?"

"I don't know. It kind of looked like...like..."

"Like you REALLY wanted a banana," Kim said, no trace of humor in her voice.

Tara blinked. "...huh?"

"I, um...need to use the restroom," Ron muttered, leaping to his feet.

"Watch it, Stoppable!" scolded a familiar voice behind him.

"GAH! Bonnie!" Ron cried, backing into the table. "What are you doing? Here!"

"Not that it's any of your business," Bonnie snapped, "but I need to talk to Tara."

"Well, I was just leaving," Ron said quickly, edging away from her. "You know, uh, nature calls!"

"SO much more than I never needed to know," Bonnie replied, rolling her eyes.

Even as Ron backed off, he was suddenly, intensely aware of the scent of Bonnie's perfume. And sure, it was nice, but he was already on thin ice with Tara, so he could hardly just stand there and comment on-

_"Mate. Bonnie mate. Claim-"_

Ron broke into a mad run, nearly slamming into a table on the way. "Get out of my head, get OUT of my HEAD!" he whispered urgently, making a beeline for the closest restroom.

This was crazy. He'd been attracted to Bonnie before...Tara, too, for that matter...but he hadn't actually been with either of them at the time, so it was fine then. But now, looking at other girls was the last thing he needed. And if that voice didn't go away, he wouldn't even be able to look at Tara without thinking...well, he was sure she wouldn't appreciate it. At least, not so soon...

"STOPPABLE! No running in the halls!"

Ron jerked to a stop as the tall form of Mr. Barkin loomed over him. "Mr. B! Fancy meeting you here!"

Whatever Mr. Barkin said next was drowned out by a roar that filled Ron's ears.

_"CLAIM MATES! RIVAL TAKE ALL MATES!"_

Ron didn't want to know how he knew, but whatever this voice was, it saw Mr. Barkin as a threat. He even found his body trembling with rage as he stared up at the big man. If he didn't get out of here quickly, he would do...whatever it was, it would be brutal and monkey-magic enhanced.

That was when it all came together.

Monkey Fist's anger (disappointment?) at Ron not using the Mystical Monkey Power. The warning about it controlling him. This odd, instinctive voice in his head. Wanting to claim every pretty girl that got close to him. And now seeing Mr. B as a rival.

Ron was a monkey. At least, the voice in his head was. And it had more influence on him than Monkey Fist or Mystical Monkey Power ever had.

But was it Mystical Monkey Power? Monkey Fist had talked about the power like it was a living thing. Certainly Ron felt more alive the few times he did use it, but it was power, after all. If Monkey Fist wasn't crazy, though, he had a parasite in his body. They both did. And if it had been feeding on him all this time, how strong was it? What could it make him do?

Although, recent events considered, an even better question was, WHO would it make him do?

"STOPPABLE!" Mr. Barkin roared in his ear.

Before Ron could think about what he was doing, he roared right back in Mr. Barkin's face.

The two stared at each other in total shock, but Ron recovered first...and ran for his life.

Mr. Barkin stared after his fleeing student, and slowly, a smile appeared on his face. "About time that boy showed some backbone," he said in a strangely proud tone. "But he's gotta lay off the banana mints."

* * *

Next Chapter: Ron's inner monkey sees Kim in a whole new light. 


	4. Primate Perspective

Chapter 4: Primate Perspective

"Kim, something's up with Ron."

"You mean how he's been avoiding all human contact for the last three days?" Kim panted, mentally counting off her fiftieth push up as she got to her feet. "Yeah, I noticed."

"And you're not concerned?" Wade asked from where the Kimmunicator was propped up on her desk.

"Of course I am. But the last time I got involved in Ron's personal life, we stopped speaking for a whole day. Ron has my number, he knows my schedule, and if all else fails, he knows where I live and is in walking distance. If Ron wants to talk to me, he will. If he doesn't, I'm not going to pry."

"But what if it's something serious? Drugs? Gangs? Change in dating preferences?"

Kim laughed. "Wade? This is Ron we're talking about, you know."

"Kim, he's human. It could be anything."

"Again, I feel the need to point out that this is RON, Wade."

"Couldn't you at least call him?"

"I have. Twice, every day. He doesn't pick up. Happy?"

"No. Actually, I'm even more worried now."

"I've seen him at school. Other than the whole recluse deal, the only real change is in what he wears."

"What do you mean?"

Kim paused to think. "The last time I saw him, he had on enough winter clothing to make me sweat just looking at him."

"But it's April, Kim."

"Well, WE know that. Ron's body apparently doesn't, because it must be freezing or spouting unsightly warts or something."

"But you're not concerned."

"I told you, yes. But I'm not going to do anything. If Ron needs my help, I know he'll come to me. He always has before."

"What if he's afraid to tell you?"

"If it was really serious, Rufus would rat him out, literally."

Wade frowned. "I guess. But are you sure you don't want me to do some surveillance on his house to be safe?"

"You can if you want, but I don't want to see them unless you have proof that it's something that demands my attention. I don't like spying on Ron for no real reason."

"Gotcha. I'll call back if I find something."

Kim sighed as the Kimmunicator screen went blank. In truth, she was far more worried than she'd let on in front of Wade. No one had had more than two words with Ron in the past few days, not even his own parents. The few times Kim had cornered him in school, he'd been a million miles away. Even Tara had asked if Ron was okay, and that was when Kim really began to worry. It was one thing for Ron to brush her off, but to jeopardize his chances with Tara, something had to be really wrong.

Yet she couldn't bring herself to barge in until Ron asked for her help. Kim wanted to be supportive without coming off as controlling. She did have a tendency to take charge when there was a problem, but this wasn't a mission, it was Ron's life. And no matter how big a part of it she was (or used to be), it would have to be Ron's decision to involve her.

Even if hurt worse than anything to wonder if they were still best friends and not have a definite answer.

* * *

Ron took a deep breath before closing his eyes tightly and shedding the layers of clothes. He could feel it already, that odd tingling along nearly every inch of his skin as he removed each piece of clothing. he had tried bandages, masking tape, and electric shavers. Nothing worked. At least, not for long enough.

When all the clothing was on the floor, Ron opened his eyes, looked down, and whimpered.

He still had a fine coat of golden hair coating over eighty percent of his body. He had hair in places he didn't know could grow hair at all.

_"No hair,"_ said that increasingly annoying voice in his head. _"Fur."_

This time, at least, it probably had a point. Unlike the hair on his head, what now covered his body was somehow thicker, and even less manageable. Especially considering any he got rid of grew back in less than a day. That had been scary enough.

Several times he'd nearly called Mrs. Dr. Possible at work. But the more he thought about it, this was completely beyond her field of specialization. She was a neurosurgeon, not a veterinarian.

The thought of telling Kim had also occurred to him more than once. He could trust her not to tell anyone, once she got over the initial shock. But for several reasons, he didn't want to get anywhere near her. There was Monkey Fist's little prophecy o' doom to keep in mind, not to mention the way the voice in his head might react to her. As it was, Ron had made Rufus stash all his yearbooks so he wouldn't have access to pictures of pretty girls. But that had quickly expanded to include every picture of Kim he owned, just as a precaution.

And for now, at least, the monkey in his head had been fairly quiet. It complained about his trying to remove and then hide the fur, but other than that, it was mostly random growls and demands for fruit.

Even when Ron's teeth started to grow more and more pointy, he did his best to ignore them, as well as the pungent tropical odor than began to surround his room. His mother thought it was some new air freshner; even complimented him on it.

But it all came to a screeching halt one afternoon when Ron was absently scratching at the fuzz on his cheek, picked something out, and without even looking at it, popped it into his mouth and swallowed. A look of sheer horror crossed his face an instant later, and he looked at his ever-present naked mole rat, who was watching in equal shock.

"Rufus, I think it's time to call Kim."

Rufus made to grab the phone, but it began to ring before he could reach it.

Ron snatched up the phone. "Hello?"

"Ron? We've got a mission. Can you make it?"

"Uh...sure, KP. Be right over." Ron hung up and shot Rufus a helpless look. "What? I was gonna have to show her, anyway."

Rufus looked doubtful, but kept his opinion to himself.

* * *

Ron was shocked at Kim's reaction. Basically, she didn't have one. She merely took one look at his thick coat, sweater, rubber galoshes, sweatpants, wool cap, and shades, then looked away and proceeded to brief him on the mission.

She had to have noticed, so that wasn't it. Ron couldn't even begin to imagine why Kim wouldn't have at least asked if he was hot or feeling sick. But then, he had volunteered, so maybe she just assumed he was fine.

The mission was a minor one, thankfully: old Mrs. Dawton down the street needed someone to walk her dogs. One look at said dogs told Ron that this was definitely a two-person job, at least. They were huge but ultimately harmless, and once Kim gave them their daily dose of hamburger, they were glad to follow her anywhere. Occasionally, they would shoot odd, knowing looks at Ron, but Kim assured him that they didn't bite...and even if they did, there was no way he'd be able to feel it through all the layers.

Their reward for a successful mission was a shiny new quarter each (Mrs. Dawton insisted) and a pat on the head. Also a handful of slobber in Kim's case; the dogs liked her.

"I never thought I'd long for simple missions like this," Kim commented as they walked home. "But for once, I'm glad evil is taking the day off."

Ron agreed, but his voice sounded muffled even to him, so he doubted Kim heard him at all.

Kim snuck a glance at him and slowed down. "Ron...you'd tell me if something was bothering you...right?"

Not trusting his voice, Ron nodded.

"I mean, you've been...changing lately, but I didn't say anything because I didn't want to interfere. It's your life, and I don't have any right to tell you what to do. But everyone's really starting to worry. Even Bonnie said you were acting weirder than normal."

Ron pulled down his high collar so he could speak freely. "KP, it's not-"

"Is that a beard, Ron?" Kim asked at once.

"Uh...yeah. Just grew it," Ron said quickly.

Kim leaned closer and gently cupped his chin. "It's just...it's so full! What did you do, plant seeds?"

Ron blushed and pulled her hand away, dragging her down the street. "Can we talk inside, please? It's kind of personal."

Kim didn't protest. Mostly because she'd been dragged six blocks by a dog three times her size already, so what was one more block?

Thankfully, Kim's parents were working late, and the twins were busy with an invention. Ron dragged Kim straight up to her room and shut the door.

"Ron, are you sure you're okay?" Kim asked.

"No. I'm definitely not okay, KP." Ron began taking off his clothes.

Kim turned bright red and looked away. "Um, Ron?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"What?" he asked distractedly. "Don't worry, it's not what it looks like. I just need to show you-"

"RON!" she cried in alarm.

"NO! Would you-" Ron grabbed Kim and turned her around.

Kim's hands flew to her mouth as she took in the sight of Ron's very hairy chest.

"I can't shave it off, so I've just been covering it up. Yanking it out by the roots just makes it itch when it grows back in. And it always grows back in."

"How long?"

"A few days now."

"Since Monkey Fist?" Kim asked sharply.

"Well...yeah."

"Ron! I can't believe you didn't tell me when this first started! What if he did something to you? What if it's too late to fix it now? Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm freakin' bananas, KP! Have you smelled my breath? You think telling you this was easy for me?"

"Of course not, but it's ME, Ron! If there was anyone you could've told, wouldn't it have to be me?"

She did have a point. Ron had taken great care not to let his parents know that he had a arch foe.

Kim was already fishing out her Kimmunicator when he glanced at her, so Ron sat down on her bed to wait. As he watched Kim pace back and forth, he suddenly noticed how well-toned her arms were. It was nothing he hadn't seen a hundred times before, but today was the first time he'd really noticed and appreciated them.

_"KP. Mate."_

Ron blinked rapidly and slammed his hands over his ears, forgetting that the gruff voice was coming from inside his own head.

Kim shot him a look but kept talking to Wade.

'No, KP is NOT a mate, you horny little monkey! Get out of my head, or shut up!'

_"KP Mate,"_ the monkey insisted.

'NO SHE ISN'T! STOP IT! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!'

_"KP unclaimed. KP strong. KP smart. KP..."_ There was a brief pause, in which Ron shuddered as a peculiar sensation passed through him. It was as if someone reached into his brain, poked around, and took something out. _"KP...good hips?"_

Ron gaped. The monkey had just gone into his head and picked out...well, the idea that Kim had good hips, or something. All to defend his point.

Maybe this could work both ways.

Ron wracked his brain for a word that the monkey would understand. 'Look, KP is NOT mate material. She...she's...a friend!'

There was no reply from the monkey, but Ron got the distinct feeling that it wasn't impressed.

'Ally? Buddy? Pal? Muchacho?'

_"KP Mate."_

'NONONO!' Ron sighed in frustration. It looked like there was only one way out of this. Instead of resisting the monkey like he usually did, he attempted to merge with it. The monkey actually resisted at first, but allowed the mind-share to proceed. Ron desperately searched for a label that would convince the monkey to stay away from Kim, and quickly found one.

'KP is not a mate. KP is family.'

There was an extended pause. The monkey seemed to be considering, at least. Finally, it made its decision.

_"KP no Family. Wrong scent. KP Mate."_

'Look, who's been in this body longer? She's family and that's final!'

_"Wrong scent."_

'EXTENDED family, then! Part of the pack! Herd! Flock! Whatever!'

_"KP...clanmate?"_

'NO MATE!'

_"No mate. Clanmate."_ The monkey picked his brain again. _"Sister?"_

'Yeah, sure, sister.' Ron sighed mentally. Somehow, arguing with his monkey this long always drained him.

_"KP sister. No mate?"_

'No mate. Sister.'

The monkey fell silent, and Ron could actually feel it's presence receding. He shook his head and wiped some sweat from his brow.

"Ron? Are you listening to me?" Kim asked.

"Sorry, KP. Zoned out for a bit. Just...thinking."

Kim frowned. "Well...I don't really know what to do about this. Neither does Wade, but he figures a sample couldn't hurt."

Ron shrugged. "Just pick a spot and tug."

"I was actually going to use scissors."

"Go ahead," Ron muttered.

"Ron...we'll figure something out, okay?" Kim carefully snipped off a few hairs. "Don't give up."

"Easy for you to say. When it happened to you, it was temporary. But I'm scared that this isn't, Kim. Real scared."

"Look at the bright side."

"WHAT bright side?" Ron demanded.

Kim sat down beside him and draped her arm around his shoulders. "I won't let a little fur and banana breath come between us. You'll always have me by your side."

"But what about Tara? And everybody else?"

"Them, we'll have to work on. It's not like you asked for this."

Ron wanted to believe that. But deep down, he had a bad feeling that he had asked for it. How many times had he wanted to be more helpful on missions? How many times had he wanted to save Kim and failed? How many times had he needed a little more strength, a little more agility, or a little more endurance? How many times had he even envied Shego for being so powerful?

"KP...if I lose it...you'll stop me, right?" Ron asked.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"If I go ape...start hurting people...you'd stop me, wouldn't you?"

"Ron, that won't happen," Kim promised.

"Because you'll stop me. Right?"

Kim didn't look like she wanted to answer him.

"KP, I need you to promise me you'll do it."

"I told you I can't stand to see you hurt, Ron. How can you expect me to be one doing the hurting?"

"Because it's right, and I couldn't ask anyone else to do it. And things will be so much worse if you don't. Promise me, Kim."

"I'm not promising anything. But if it comes to that, I'll do what needs to be done."

"That's not exactly what I was hoping to hear."

"Too bad, because it's all you're getting," Kim snapped. She sighed and shook her head. "Maybe you should go home, Ron. We'll talk tomorrow."

"Yeah. Okay." Ron stood up and shuffled silently out of the room.

Kim flipped on her Kimmunicator again. "Hey, Wade. You still have Ron chipped, right?"

"Yeah...why?"

Kim closed her eyes. "I think it's time we discussed what else that chip can do, besides tracking."

"That depends. What kind of applications are we talking here?"

Kim took a long moment in answering. "Painful ones."

* * *

Next Chapter: Ron has a nightmare that is all too real.

Reviews!

nightspade

So, Ron has that horny monkey in his head just like the rest of us guys. I wonder how Kim will handle herself in the next chapter. UPDATE SOON! I HATE SUSPENSE!

_Ron's monkey is more monkey in the literal sense. And it has a greater effect on him physically, but more on that later._

* * *

Arein

I am fascinated yet at the same time slightly disturbed but in a good way. Any way how did Monkey Fist know about the whole prophecy? Is it his own little prophecy or is it fate? Did hear it somewhere like in a reading about the coming Chosen One? What does the whole Chosen One thingy mean any way? Will Ron tell Kim about the whole Chosen One thingy? Will he tell her about the time he spent in Japan or about the Lotus Blade? If the monkey inside his head (as I have chosen to call it) tells him that both Tara and Bonnie and I am assuming Kim as well are mates that must be claimed who will he choose or will he just have them all? Will he realize that his feelings for Kim are more than just friendly or will he just let her slip through his fingers? Will you please update soon?

_There are multiple "prophecies" in KP: one proclaims Ron the Chosen One (Sensei), another practically names him leader of the monkey ninjas (Mystical Monkey Monk). Monkey Fist arguably knew of both, though he assumed the second was referring to him. Being the Chosen One, to me, could mean several things: destined to possess Mystical Monkey Power, wield the Lotus Blade, defeat a person with MMP by using MMP, and/or lead the monkey ninjas to some greater purpose, etc. Monkeys (and apes) don't always choose a single mate, and the whole alpha male deal makes them highly competitive when it comes to the ladies (er, females). The main problem with that is Ron's monkey sees virtually every young, unclaimed female as a potential mate, regardless of former or current connections to him emotionally._

_With Ron's current sitch, Tara will take priority consciously, but keep in mind the monkey isn't attracted to exactly the same qualities in females that Ron is. Things will get more complex where Kim is concerned, as they will when Ron eventually runs into Zita._

* * *

Aliesha

Yikes. Ron's all crazy horny...kinda scary really. Personally, even though I'm a Ron/Kim fan, this story would make a great Ron/Bonnie story. After all, she's super-strong so she could probably take him in Mystical Monkey mode.

_I should probably warn you now, there may be Ron/Kim moments, but as far as end results, don't get your hopes up._

* * *

Shkspr1048

You know, horny, overpowering mental monkey voices are all well and good, but your not gonna have Ron do something icksome, are you? Not anything like you might see on "Law & Order: SVU"?

_Never seen the show, but I wouldn't think so. More like things on Discovery Channel. Well, not EXACTLY like that. You'll see._

* * *

Sand Lord

Well done chapter. Talk about inner demons, this one is truly savage. I hope Ron makes no stupid mistakes by giving in. Am I mistaking or has Mr. Barkin some issues in getting backbone into Ron? I'm waiting for the next installment; please don't let me wait too long!

_Ron won't give in, though he and his monkey will have some 'fights' about certain things. I like to think Barkie is trying to toughen Ron up. And some of the skills he's tried to pass on have helped Ron on missions. Like the mutant wiener dog call, for one._

* * *

Lonestarr

See, now why can't the voices in one's head ever be positive...though in the cases of Tara and Bonnie, it might be something of a gray area. ;)

I kinda had a bad feeling about what was meant in the first couple chapters, but perhaps I should trust in the execution. I really hope this is something Ron can control.

_Who says the monkey voice is negative? Wanting to reproduce is a natural urge. Humans are the ones who put restrictions on it. The monkey doesn't know that. That's hardly his fault; he never went to church or school. At the moment, Ron can't really control it. That will change. Somewhat._


	5. Night Marchers

Note: Before I go any further, a quick point I need to slip in. In the episode where Ron gains Mystical Monkey Power, nowhere is it shown that he told Kim what happened. I can't recall her ever mentioning it afterwards, or it being discussed in front of her. In fact, I distinctly recall that in one episode, Monkey Fist actually waited until Kim had left the scene before mention the power to Ron...almost like he didn't want her to know, or suspected that Ron hadn't told her. For the sake of this story, assume Kim doesn't know that Ron has MMP, and that his defeating Monkey Fist the first time was a lucky fluke.

Chapter 5: Night Marchers

This night, Ron Stoppable dreamed of monkeys.

This was odd, simply because all past dreams involving monkeys had, in fact, been nightmares.

But not tonight.

Tonight, he did not fear the jungle in which he found himself, nor any of the voices of the animals he heard all around him. Instead, he felt as if this were a second homecoming, and the residents were merely celebrating his return.

There was a murmur in his ear, and Ron turned, expecting to find Rufus on his shoulder. But there was no naked mole rat staring back at him, and Ron understood at once that Rufus would not be in this dream. For some reason, it didn't bother him in the least.

A rustle in the trees before him drew his gaze, and Ron was not at all surprised to find a monkey staring at him from a tree branch. It was small and wiry, as far as monkeys went, but its sharp eyes held both wariness and danger. For now, it didn't seem very dangerous, but Ron knew on an instinctive level that it only to a spark to start a raging inferno, and that this monkey was no different. If he made the wrong move, or perhaps no move at all, it would be the end for one of them.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. Then the monkey, apparently satisfied with his period of observation, sprang from his perch, his black, lithe body sailing through the air and landing at Ron's feet in what seemed only an instant.

Ron took a respectful step back and lowered himself to one knee, slowly extending his hand.

The monkey dropped to all fours and slowly crawled to him, stopping only an inch from Ron's hand. He sniffed lightly, and then his tail snapped up out of nowhere, curling around Ron's wrist with surprising gentleness.

Ron smiled hesitantly, and held still as the monkey quickly scaled his arm and claimed his shoulder for a seat. He could no longer remember why he had feared and hated such a graceful, subtly powerful creature. He only knew that he had been chosen to wield that same grace and power, and for that, he was eternally grateful.

The monkey extended a paw and pointed forward, uttering a single, piercing shriek.

Somehow, Ron understood and started forward, pushing his way through the brush.

Though the journey could have taken hours, to Ron it seemed only a few minutes had passed before he came into a clearing and stopped short.

Everywhere he looked, there were monkeys. Unlike his monkey, they were covered in brown fur, a bit larger, and weighed down by ridiculously huge chains. Despite that, each and every last one leaped up and began to screech angrily.

Ron found again that he understood. They were angry at his monkey, for daring to accompany an unworthy human. There were only so many people they considered worthy, and Ron was not among them.

Not yet, anyway.

His monkey remained silent. Either the angry shrieks didn't bother him, or he merely chose not to respond.

Perhaps he was just waiting.

Ron approached the nearest monkey cautiously, ignoring its escalating cries and the flashes of its lightning fast paws. Only when it dared to actually try and strike him did he react, grabbing both its paws and roaring in its face.

The monkey fell silent at once, as did all the others.

Pleased with himself, Ron selected the first of many chains and snapped it in two with his bare hands. He continued this until the monkey was freed from its shackles.

Ron's monkey came alive again, screeching defiantly in the other's face.

Ron moved on to the next monkey, and then the next, until they were all freed from their chains. He sat down and sighed, wiping his only slightly sweaty brow. He was vaguely aware of the monkeys forming a tight circle around him, but he could sense no malice in their stances, and his own monkey had calmed down again.

_"Clanmates,"_ Ron's monkey uttered in his ear. _"Brothers."_

"Right. That whole thing again." Ron stood up and looked around. "Okay. So I have to come up with fifty names."

_"No. Only one."_ The monkey pointed at himself.

"Oh. You do need a name, don't you?" Ron frowned. "How 'bout George?"

The monkey looked skeptical. _"What George?"_

"Really famous monkey. Smart as a whip. Liked men in yellow hats, apparently."

_"No George."_

"Well...how does Brick grab you?"

_"What Brick?"_

"Big ape. Good in sports."

_"Warrior?"_

"Eh...he's pounded a couple of faces, yeah. Mine included."

The monkey's eyes flashed in displeasure. _"No Brick."_

Ron thought for a moment, and then smiled. "Pak."

The monkey seemed to approve at once. _"Good name. What mean?"_

"Uh...really...cool...monkey dude. Yeah. That."

_"Lie. Still good name."_

"Glad you think so. Now, um...how do we get home?"

* * *

Kim woke up to the familiar beeping of her Kimmunicator. Sighing, she reached for it on the nightstand, knocking over her alarm clock in the process.

"Mmm…Wade, this better be good."

"Actually, it's bad...and monkey-related. That's why I'm calling. There was a break-in at the Lowerton Center for Zoological Research."

Kim frowned. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"It should. It's where Ron dropped off the monkey ninjas when they kept following him around, remember? He only got them to stay when the staff designed a dojo for them to exercise in. I'm pretty sure we left them bowing before a photo of Ron blown up by about a thousand."

Kim nodded as the memory flooded back to her. "Right. The whole prophecy deal with Frederick. So what was stolen last night?"

"The monkey ninjas. Their cages were busted open from the outside, and from all indications, it was some animal rights activist that didn't know these monkeys were there for everyone else's protection, as well as their own."

"The last thing we need is that crowd roaming the streets, or making their way to a zoo. Any leads?"

Wade sighed. "Well, that's the thing, Kim. They ARE ninjas. Good ones."

"Let me guess. No trail?"

"Not that the staff could find. But they don't have you, Ron, or my tech yet. Maybe we'll find something they didn't. Got time to swing by before school?"

"I'll make time. I don't want the trail to get any colder. Fax Mr. B a tardy note for me?"

"Putting the finishing touches on it as we speak."

Kim smiled. "Have I mentioned how hard you rock today, Wade?"

"No, but I'm sure it was implied."

* * *

Ron moaned as Rufus tugged on his ear. "Five more minutes, buddy, okay?"

Rufus continued to tug, refusing to be ignored. "Up! UP!"

"Okay, fine! I'm up! But you've ruined my beauty sleep!"

Rufus picked up a mirror he'd dragged to the bed and pointed at it insistently.

"Oh, come on! You woke me up to look at my freakish, fur-covered body? Thanks a lot, Rufus!"

Rufus shook his head violently and tapped the mirror.

Ron snatched the mirror up...and froze as he got a good look at it.

All the fur he'd grown was gone. Well, that wasn't entirely true. It was now covering nearly every inch of the sheets. The point was, it was no longer growing out of him.

"Yes! YES! SHEDDING SEASON HAS BEGUN! THE RON MAN IS BACK, BAY-BEE!"

Ron let out a whoop of joy as he jumped up and down on the bed, spilling Rufus onto the floor.

"Oh. Sorry about that. You okay, pal?" Ron hopped off the bed and scooped Rufus up. "Today is a new day, Rufus! Today, Ron Stoppable truly is unstoppable!"

Rufus was still upset about the spill, but he was glad to see his owner back in high spirits.

Ron bobbed his head as he went over to his closet. "We're naked! And hairless! It's your birthday! Now boogie on down to the Naked Mole Rap!"

Rufus began snapping his paws to the beat, just as the phone rang.

Without a second thought, Ron cartwheeled over to the phone, grinning as he read the name on the CallerID. He grabbed the phone. "Morning, sunshine!"

"Uh...Ron?" Kim asked slowly.

"Speaking! And how are we today, bestest of the best friends?"

"Um...we're fine. Ron, did you eat some bad cheese again?"

"Even better, KP! I'm NAKED!"

There was a very long pause.

"Ron. Should I call back later? You know, when you're not high on life?"

"No, you don't get it! The fur is gone! Like an overnight miracle!"

"Well...that's good, I think. And I'm glad you're feeling better, really. But there is something we need to talk about."

"I'm all ears, KP! Lay it on me!"

"Yeah. Anyway, the monkey ninjas are loose. Specifically, the ones that think you're the greatest thing since banana bread. We're going to check it out before school, since you seem to have fully recovered from your funk. So keep an eye out for any monkey business, okay?"

"I'm all over it, KP! You can count on me!"

"That's what I'd like to think," Kim replied in a falsely cheery tone. "I'll be over in five."

"Can't wait!" Ron hung up and stretched his arms. "Yessir, Rufus, this is a brand new day!" He marched over to the window and threw it open. "Look out world! RON STOPPABLE IS BACK!"

Normally, Rufus would've been impressed. Except there was something more interesting than Ron's enthusiastic proclamation at the moment.

Like the large group of monkey ninjas doing katas in the backyard.

* * *

Next Chapter: All signs point to Ron as the culprit, but an encounter with Tara reveals the real thief.

Reviews!

Alan Wilkinson

Nice to see the Monkey mind can be reasoned with. Hopefully Ron's gonna come clean about that, too.

_Ron has a LOT to come clean about, and hitting Kim with at all at once would be...well, downright rude, as far as shocks go. He'll be picking his spots carefully._

* * *

Dante Tigerwolf

So, um, is Ron gonna grow a tail? or is it a great ape deal? Or is the monkey not gonna let him talk or something? Awesome fic, but I'm still slightly confused.

_Hadn't really planned on a tail. As of now, the monkey doesn't control Ron's speech. It'll hopefully become clearer for you._

* * *

nightspade

I don't believe that Ron is going to enjoy the chip's 'other' applications. Wait. An all too real nightmare? Isn't that kind of like what Bruce Banner described his memories as the Hulk?

_I'm not a big Hulk fan, but I guess so. You may be onto something._

* * *

Arein

Thanks for answering my questions. When I ask questions I mostly end up answers akin to "Wait and Find out." Though I understand where they are coming from it is so refreshing to finally have someone answer them. So thanks again. Any whoo so Ron has the monkey inside his head thingy (I don't have a better name for it yet so yeah) convinced that Kim is clanmate/sister so therefore no longer a possible mate. Will this whole plan thingy blow up in his face when he decides that his feelings for her are more than friendly? And what of Tara? What else will happen to Ron? What else will the monkey inside his head thingy make him do? Or can it make him do stuff or will it just yell incessantly at him? Will you please update soon?

_If I thought the answers would give away too much plot, I wouldn't answer them for the sake of other readers. I answer questions because I never want readers to get the wrong idea...unless that's my intent in the story. And so far it isn't here. I haven't decided everything the monkey will do yet, so I couldn't really tell you much. I'm just taking it a chapter at a time. Tara will become more involved soon. Kim may not be considered a potential mate anymore, but don't think her classification as a clanmate won't bring up some conflicts later._

* * *

vendoban

this story is amazing to say the least man. And it gave me a killer idea for a story...(shame i have no writing skill) but i like the angle in which you come, i mean the whole ron turning into monkey mentally/physically. my only question is will ron go find monkeyfist for answers or some kind of training to control his inner ape?

_Monkey Fist has no interest in helping Ron, even though he hates seeing Mystical Monkey Power go to waste. As it is, Ron's inner ape seems to be more controlling him. Subconsciously, anyway. And really it's a monkey, even though Ron didn't grow a tail._


	6. Scratch My Back

Chapter 6: Scratch My Back

Kim was only slightly glad that Ron wasn't grinning from ear to ear when he opened the door. She liked seeing him in a good mood, but if he called her "sunshine" one more time...

"You're looking a bit more down to earth now."

"Uh...KP," Ron said nervously. "You ever known me to sleepwalk?"

"No. Why?"

"I...I think went out last night and took something I shouldn't have."

"What? You broke into Bueno Nacho and stole half the menu?"

Ron fidgeted. "No...more like a bunch of monkey ninjas."

Kim stared at him. "You're kidding, right? Why didn't you say something when I called you?"

"Because I didn't find them until right after that! I thought it was just a dream, but then my mom noticed all our fruit was gone, and my dad got ambushed when he went to get the morning paper."

Kim gasped. "Did they hurt him?"

"That's the weird part. They gave him the paper, then they shoved their way into the house and started making breakfast...for us."

Kim almost didn't believe him. But then a monkey ninja ran by, carrying what looked like Mr. Stoppable's slippers.

"I think the monkeys can sense that these are my parents," Ron said slowly. "So they're treating them like royalty."

"And your 'rents are okay with that?"

"Dad says it's like having little butlers. Mom's too freaked to say anything."

"Well, they can't stay here, Ron. I don't know what you were thinking, but we have to take them back to-"

Kim trailed off as seven monkey ninjas instantly surrounded her in a tight circle.

"No, no, no!" Ron shouted, darting in front of her. "KP's a friend! FRIEND!"

The monkey ninjas backed off at once, but continued to give Kim wary glances.

"They don't like it when people talk about taking them away from me," Ron sighed. "And the only order they won't take is to leave."

Kim threw up her hands. "Ron, this...this isn't normal!"

"I know! But I can't get rid of them, and they're not really hurting anything right now..."

"We still have to investigate the crime scene. They can't go with us!"

"No problem, KP. I got it all figured out." Ron cupped his hands to his mouth and hooted loudly.

Kim ducked as a monkey ninja wearing a green scarf and matching opera gloves swung into the room on the chandelier.

"Chippy, hold down the fort, okay?" Ron instructed.

"Chippy? As in the dress-wearing, impersonating me Chippy?" Kim asked.

"I got him to ease up on the dresses. But he won't take off the gloves for anyone. The important thing is, they listen to him. I think it's because he spent a whole day with me. That makes him monkey general or something."

"And you're sure about that?"

"Sure. Watch this." Ron turned to Chippy. "Tell them KP is cool."

Chippy made a loud screeching sound, and Kim was soon surrounded again. This time, however, the monkey ninjas seemed more curious than angry. One of them stepped forward and took Kim's hand, while another hopped onto her back and began grooming her hair.

"Uh...thanks, Chippy," Kim said weakly as another monkey grabbed her leg and stared at it closely.

"They think you have nice legs. For leaping, I mean," Ron translated.

Kim gently but firmly removed herself from her new admirers. "Ron, you're sounding a little too okay with this."

"What can I say, KP? Lately, I'm seeing monkeys in a whole new light."

"Because of your close encounter of the furry kind?"

"Uh...maybe. They're not so bad, are they?"

"Well, they're not attacking at the moment, so I guess not. But they were being held for a reason, Ron."

"I get that! But they're already doing what I say, so maybe if I told them to be cool, they would be!"

Kim shook her head. "Somehow I doubt it's that simple."

"How about a trial run?" Ron asked. "Say three days. If there are any more outbreaks, we move them somewhere else. Deal?"

"Oh, I don't know about this, Ron..."

"Trust me, KP. I can totally handle this."

Kim didn't look like she agreed, but finally nodded. "Fine. Let's get to work."

* * *

"I can't tell you how sorry I am, Kim," Dr. Heath said. "I really felt we were making progress with your monkey ninjas, and so I may have been too lax in terms of their security. They had been behaving, so I didn't think it necessary."

"What do you mean when you say they were behaving?" Kim asked.

"Well, after we set up the dojo, they stopped trying to escape and started sparring all day, every day. I thought that was normal behavior for them, so I allowed it to go on. Then, with no warning, they up and vanish on us."

"Don't worry, Dr. Heath. I'm sure Ron and I will be able to find them. Right, Ron?"

"Yeah, sure, of course!" Ron laughed nervously. He inched away from them and sighed. "I am sooo dead."

_"Ron not dead,"_ Pak cut in. _"Never. Brothers protect."_

"Much as I appreciate that, buddy, we still have a problem here. I broke the law, and if someone other than KP finds out, we'll have even more problems."

_"KP no tell. Brothers hidden. Ron safe."_

"You know, just because you make things sound simple doesn't actually make them any easier, Pak."

_"Ron trust Pak. Pak help Ron."_

"Look, I'm glad we're buds now, but you should realize that turning into a monkey, having one in your head, or stealing a bunch of monkeys isn't normal! So if you could confine the monkey business to the privacy of our own home, I'd really appreciate it!"

There was no reply from Pak, but Ron suspected if the monkey hadn't been in agreement, he would've known at once.

He was brought back to reality when Kim clapped him on the shoulder.

"Come on, Ron. Barkin will cut us some slack, but not if we're really late."

"Find anything?" Ron asked nervously.

Kim shot him a look. "Fur and a piece of torn fabric, which I'm sure would fit nicely into your other mission shirt at home. You're just lucky Dr. Heath called us, and not the police."

"KP...I'm sorry. I didn't...mean for this to-"

"I know, Ron," she interrupted. "And while it's...not exactly your fault, it is your responsibility. If you can't control what you're doing, then you're forcing me to make decisions for you. Decisions neither of us would like. So please, get a handle on this now." She gave him one last, lingering look before turning away and heading for the door.

Ron followed at a distance. If he had any doubt what Kim was thinking, Pak soon solved the mystery for him.

_"KP scared. KP scared of hurting us."_

"Of hurting me, you mean. She doesn't know about you."

_"Want KP to know?"_ Pak asked hesitantly.

"Well...soon. But not yet."

* * *

Kim had been right about Mr. Barkin. Apparently, really late was still unacceptably late. Instead of detention, though, Kim ended up with a whole hour of janitor duty (that Janitor Joe incident could very well haunt her for the rest of her life). Ron, on the other hand, got library duty, which was less strenuous, but even more boring. And while Ron once would've just chalked this up to Mr. Barkin being cruel and unusual, Pak saw it another way. The mopping and scrubbing would keep Kim in shape, and the harsh smell of cleaning fluids would hone her sense of smell.

Which only made Ron feel worse, since Pak hadn't been able to figure out how shelfing returned books was helping them. So Ron suffered in silence, with the occasional odd sensation of Pak picking his brain when they came across a word he didn't recognize, and there were quite a few. The feeling wasn't so much disruptive as it was strange, and in time Ron was able to ignore it, for the most part.

Ron had just finished his hour when his arm suddenly locked up. He was about to contribute it to all the shelfing, but Pak had other ideas.

_"Mate. Mate near."_

"Whoa! Dude, we talked about this! Every girl is NOT-"

_"Mate near! Tara near!"_

Ron froze. "She...she is? Where?"

Ron's head snapped to the left, just in time to see Tara pass by his aisle, carry several books with her. In the next moment, Ron had leaped over his book cart and rolled up the aisle, emerging at the end to find Tara dropping her considerable pile of books on a desk.

With no real idea what he was doing, Ron walked up and tapped her on the shoulder. "Need a hand, pretty lady?" he heard himself ask casually.

Tara turned around and smiled. "Ron! Where have you been hiding? You know, for someone so famous, you're awfully hard to track down."

"My schedule's been a little full lately. But as of right now, I am totally at your disposal. Just, um, please don't throw me away."

Tara giggled. "I missed your jokes."

"Only my jokes?" Ron asked, looking wounded.

"The rest of you, too," Tara added, lacing her fingers through his. "I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind about going to the dance with me."

"Do I LOOK crazy and/or dead?"

"Well, no. But you didn't even call, and I wondered..."

"Wonder no more. We're still on for the dance."

"Good. Then we need to practice," Tara said at once.

Ron stared at her. "Practice...what?"

"Going to the dance together. So you can start by taking me to Bueno Naco after we're done here. I figure we'd better start with familiar territory."

"Sounds doable," Ron agreed, before noticing the smirk on Tara's face. "Oh. Bad word choice, right?"

"Since you weren't talking about me, no. But keep in mind Bonnie would've really let you have it."

"But you're not Bonnie," Ron pointed out reasonably.

"No, I'm not. But if you're going to be dating me, then you're going to run into her eventually."

"Well, it's not that I don't LIKE Bonnie. It's just that she totally doesn't like me. But I can't figure out what I did to her."

"Probably nothing. And she doesn't hate you. You'd know if she did, trust me."

"Are you saying she likes me?" Ron asked in disbelief.

"I'm saying there's a reason I want you to dance with her," Tara replied. "You will, won't you?"

"Sure. I promised. But does Bonnie know about this?"

"No, and she won't for a while."

"So how do you know she won't smack me for asking?"

"She won't, if you pick your moment. Leave that to me."

"You really care about her, don't you?" Ron asked.

"I'm sort of obligated," Tara answered. "She is my best friend. She's not horrible to me like she is to other people. Not on purpose, at least. It's just hard for her to express herself without being-"

"Completely condescending?" Ron supplied.

"I guess that is a nicer way of putting it."

"Well, it's good to keep a positive spin on these things."

"You mean bad things," Tara said with a slight frown.

Ron froze. "Uh...no...I mean...things that are largely misunderstood, but...really, really not so bad otherwise?"

Tara grinned at him. "You're really lucky I'm not Bonnie."

"If you know that, then why do you want me to dance with her again?"

"I just do," Tara said firmly. "Grab my books for me?"

"Sure. But it's gonna be hard to slip my arm around you if I do," Ron pointed out.

"Don't worry. You'll get your chance," Tara promised, squeezing his hand lightly before letting go.

Ron managed not to struggle too much with the large pile of books, but he was almost certain Pak's natural strength or balance had something to do with it.

_"Tara happy. Ron happy?"_ Pak asked.

"Oh, Ron is VERY happy. Confused, but very happy."

_"Ron not hide Pak's gifts anymore?"_

Something clicked in Ron's mind. "These gifts...they wouldn't be fur and banana breath, would they?"

_"Ron must attract mates. Ron must be better than all rivals."_

"YOU did all that stuff? To get me a girl? Then...you busted out the monkey ninjas, too!"

_"Ron must have clan. Clan protects Ron. Clan is family."_

"Wait, wait. Then...why did you make the fur go away?"

_"Ron accepted Pak. Pak accepted Ron. Fur made Ron unhappy. No fur."_

"Yeah, well, let's talk about these gifts first the next time you decide to get generous, okay?"

_"Pak understand. No surprises."_

"Great. This could be the start of something big, Pak."

_"Ron want bigger muscles?"_

"Uh…maybe later. Just remember that we got the girl. No need to go all out anymore, okay?"

_"Pak understand. Take it easy."_

"You're learning," Ron said approvingly. "Now all we have to do is teach me some more monkey-speak, and we'll be in business!"

_"Then tell KP about Pak?"_

Ron sighed. "Time to teach you another saying, pal. One step at a time."

* * *

Next Chapter: A close encounter with Bonnie leaves Ron breathless, and Kim outraged.

Reviews!

nivenfan

lol...unless i am completely off base, "Pak" for protector, right?

_I have no idea where you got that from, but you're half right. "Pak" is Kim's initials backwards._


	7. Cornered

Notes: This chapter has several echoes from "Bonnie from Behind," so you really need to have read that first.

Chapter 7: Cornered

"Ronald, this is NOT going to work. You know your father is allergic to any kind of fur!" Mrs. Stoppable argued.

Ron sighed. "Mom, I know, but you saw what happened when I tried to get rid of them! Those stains might never come out of the couch!"

Mrs. Stoppable's reply was cut off by a loud sneeze from the living room, followed by a whole minute of accompanying simian screeching.

"This can NOT go on," Mrs. Stoppable said firmly. "I don't care how much those monkeys like you, they can't stay here!"

"If I knew another place that could take them right now, I'd be all over it!" Ron insisted.

_"Mother upset,"_ Pak murmured. _"Not like brothers?"_

"Not in the house, anyway."

_"Brothers...outside?"_

Ron blinked. "Hey, Mom. What if I could convince the monkeys to stay in the backyard? Could I keep them then?"

Mrs. Stoppable looked doubtful. "Who would feed them?"

"Oh, they're totally self-sufficient. But I'd take them some bananas every now and then. Dad would be just fine, so long as he never went back there. I'll take care of cleaning up after them."

"And they'll stay away from my tulips?"

"I'll tell them it's sacred ground."

"You'll what?"

"Uh, they'll stay away," Ron said quickly with a forced smile.

"We can try it. But if your father sneezes more than once while they're out there, they have to go. No questions asked."

"Got it under control, Mom." Ron whistled sharply, and seconds later, the kitchen was absolutely filled with monkey ninjas, who seemed to come out of nowhere. "Okay, gang. Everybody take the monkey business to the backyard," he instructed, pointing to the back door.

Instantly, the back door slammed open as the monkey ninjas ran out of the house.

"I'll, uh, vacuum a little later, to get the smell out," Ron offered, hurrying to the backyard.

Mrs. Stoppable sighed and poked her head into the living room. "Are you all right, dear?"

Her husband wiped his very red nose. "You know, aside from all the sneezing, those little guys were actually very helpful. Do you know I went down to the basement today, and couldn't find a single one of those water beetles? We might not even need an exterminator!"

Mrs. Stoppable shuddered at the thought of just how the monkeys had gotten rid of the beetles and hurriedly walked away.

* * *

"Great practice, girls!" Kim congratulated the cheer squad. "Keep that energy up and we'll have no problem at the game tomorrow!"

As the girls began split up, most heading to the locker room and a few staying behind in the gym to chat, Kim noticed something right away. Bonnie and Tara were talking quietly, but it was clear from the sour look on Bonnie's face that she wasn't happy about something. Tara seemed...surprisingly defiant, and continued shaking her head at regular intervals. Finally, Bonnie stormed off, vanishing into the locker room as Tara looked on sadly.

Alarms went off in Kim's head. The last time those two had been fighting...well, it had almost ended very badly. Intervening had worked then, so maybe it would also pay off this time. Her hunch proved right when Tara noticed her staring and waved her over.

"Was that about Ron?" Kim guessed.

Tara sighed softly. "No, that was about me and Ron going to Bueno Nacho yesterday, and not telling Bonnie. So she claims, anyway."

"Because she would've been just as upset if you had told her?"

"Actually, I think she'd be a bit less angry. This way, it seems like we were hiding it from her, trying to get away with something behind her back. Really, I just didn't see the point in making her mad by telling her. And she's also mad that she had to find out from someone else. But honestly, I didn't tell her because I didn't want to hear what she'd think about it, or for her to try and talk me out of it."

Kim frowned thoughtfully. "Tara, I'm glad you and Ron like each other, but is dating him worth turning Bonnie into an enemy?"

Tara didn't seem too concerned. "Oh, don't worry. Bonnie could never be my enemy. I'm the only real friend she has, you know. She just needs to pout and shout a bit. That's how she is. She'll get over it."

"Are you sure?" Kim asked hesitantly. "I just keep thinking about-"

"I know, Kim. But Bonnie's better now, believe me. Well, in the sense that she's more stable mentally and emotionally. That she hasn't openly attacked Ron is a good sign."

"That's true," Kim admitted. A fight between them would've been ugly, if only because Ron would have trouble hitting a girl. Well, one that wasn't a ninja, or Shego, or ten feet tall, anyway.

"Really, Bonnie's angry with me, not Ron. I don't think she's going to bother him any more than she already does."

Kim couldn't decide if that was something to be happy about or not.

* * *

Ron sighed loudly, drumming his fingers on the bench beside him. Normally, he would've watched the girls practice, looking for spots to rush in and bark his head off. But Tara had suggested that maybe staying away from Bonnie for a day or two would be a good idea. Ron had agreed, not out of fear of Bonnie's wrath, but out of respect for Tara. She knew Bonnie better than anyone, and she was the one he was trying to impress. Listening to her was as good a start as any, he figured.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a warning from Pak.

_"Bonnie near."_

Ron was on his feet in an instant, scanning the empty locker room for any sign of the cheerleader. He couldn't even begin to guess why she would venture into the boy's locker room, since she knew very well that he was the only boy on the cheer squad, and...

And that was why she was there. For him.

"You think I don't know what you're doing, Stoppable?" her voice asked from the darkness.

"Uh...I'm not decent!" Ron called, knowing the moment he said it that it was a flimsy excuse at best where Bonnie was concerned.

Whether she knew he was lying or not, Bonnie stepped into view, fixing her glare solely on him. "You think I don't have eyes and ears around this entire school? You think I can't find out when someone does something behind my back? Well, I can. AND I DID!"

Ron backed up a step. He'd always assumed Bonnie would never hit anyone for fear of breaking a nail, but he was very ready to push that assumption aside. He'd never seen Bonnie look so angry before. He could even hear his own heart beating a mile a minute...and yet, he had no idea why. Bonnie didn't really scare him, so much as she made him wary. But for some reason, Ron had a strange feeling that he was...excited.

"I won't let you get away with this, Stoppable!" Bonnie snapped. "I won't let you turn Tara against me, and I won't let you use her to get back at me!"

Ron wasn't sure that he'd ever heard of a conspiracy theory so stupid before. And this was after he'd learned the truth behind Area 51.

"You're paranoid, Bonnie. Me and Tara have nothing to do with you. I like her, she likes me. That's all there is to it. No one's trying to take her away from you. In fact, you're more than welcome to join us anytime you want, provided you can be civil. Oh, and for future reference, this is NOT considered civil behavior."

"I can prove you don't care about Tara," Bonnie insisted, approaching him with a scowl on her face.

Ron backed up some more, barely aware of the familiar voice in his head warning that he was backing into a corner. He was entirely too focused on Bonnie's face, and by the time he realized that his back was against a locker, Bonnie had him trapped.

But Bonnie didn't stop a few feet away like he expected her to. Instead, she kept coming until they were face to face, close enough where he could smell the mix of her perfume and the slight odor of sweat from practice. Ron was surprised to realize that part of him actually liked the smell, and it was all he could do not to lean closer and take a big sniff.

"It's my job to protect Tara from creeps, and I take it very seriously," Bonnie said in a quiet, firm voice. "So if I knew that her boyfriend was cheating on her, I would, of course, have to tell her."

Ron frowned. "I'm not cheat-" Alarms went off in his head, but by the time he figured out why, it was far too late.

Bonnie suddenly threw herself against Ron, slamming him into the lockers hard enough to leave a dent and leave him dizzy. He was still reeling from the blow, and the realization that Bonnie had actually attacked him, when she grabbed his head, twisted her face in disgust, and mashed her lips hard against his.

Ron's eyes widened in shock, his arms flailing uselessly. He'd never known that it was possible to attack with a kiss. If Tara saw this or got a twisted version from Bonnie later on, they'd be through. Of course, even the true version probably would've assured that, but Bonnie would definitely make it seem like he'd kissed her.

However, Ron knew he was innocent. He wasn't kissing Bonnie back.

And, for some reason that was completely beyond him, he wasn't pushing her away, either. He simply stood there, letting Bonnie's mouth assault his own while he continued to take in her strangely intoxicating scent. If Ron had any question as to whether he was enjoying this or not, he got his answer when he became aware of his hands slowly lowering to come to rest lightly on Bonnie's hips.

At that moment, Bonnie's kiss deepened as she moaned against his lips, just before she pulled away violently in shock. Her mouth worked, but no words came. Finally, she turned and fled. Even as she did, Ron caught a new scent thick in the air: fear...and not just his own.

He touched his bruised lips softly, carefully prying himself away from the lockers and trying to make sense of it all. If Tara had come in to check on him then...well, there was just no way that things could've gotten worse. But, Ron realized as he turned at Pak's next whispered warning, there was one way.

For standing in the exit that led to the gym, a look of absolute fury on her face, was Kim Possible.

* * *

The walk home was one of the longest Ron had ever taken. He kept expecting everyone he passed to whirl around and transform into Kim, or Bonnie, or Tara. At that point, he wasn't even sure which would've been worse.

Kim might try to beat some sense into him, Bonnie would just accuse him of forcing himself on her, and Tara...poor Tara would probably just look at him, with saddest expression on her face. Just the thought of him making her look like that made Ron want to beat himself up.

Tara was the first girl other than Kim to like him solely based on who he was. And even if her feelings had faded for a time, they'd come back stronger than ever now, and Ron was afraid he'd screwed up his second chance to be with her already without even trying.

Why did Bonnie have to hate him so much? If she truly cared about Tara, wouldn't she want her best friend to be happy? Why do this?

Pak offered no answers to those questions, and Ron didn't expect them. He was pretty sure monkeys didn't have these kinds of problems.

Ron was so focused on his problems that he didn't notice at all when Pak warned him of an approaching female, or when she fell in step beside him.

"You look like you could use a purely unbiased friend, Mr. Naco."

Ron blinked and lifted his head to see Monique smiling hopefully at him. "Oh. Hi. You're unbiased?"

"Yes. Especially after the version Kim blurted out to me sounded so...well, impossible. Thought I'd hear your side of the story before I joined the angry mob. So what happened, Ron?"

Ron lowered his head. "You won't believe me."

"How 'bout you let me be the judge of that?" Monique asked, patting his shoulder. "Lay it on me."

Sighing, Ron proceeded to tell her everything. When he was done, he stopped and looked at her fearfully.

"I don't believe this!" Monique cried, clearly outraged.

Ron winced, preparing himself for the slap.

"That jealous, good for nothing BIT-"

Ron slapped a hand over Monique's mouth before she could finish. "You...you believe me?" he asked in disbelief.

Monique ripped his hand away. "Why wouldn't I? Like I'd believe anything I heard from Bonnie! That…witch has had this coming for a long time, and the next time I see her trifling butt, it's on!"

"Don't let it be on, please!" Ron begged. "It'll only make things harder for Tara if my friends start attacking Bonnie. If you really want to help me, talk to KP. Ask her to give me chance to explain."

"You sure?" Monique demanded.

"Yes, I'm really very sure," Ron insisted. "Just talk to Kim. No one else. PLEASE."

"Well, okay," Monique relented. "But if Bonnie tries ANYTHING again-"

"Why do you believe me?" Ron asked suddenly.

Monique stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Why is it that you believe me when my own best friend wouldn't?"

"Look, Ron. We're tight, but I'm not your best friend, Kim is. Maybe that's why she's tripping so hard over this. Or maybe she's just really disappointed in you, because of what she thought she saw. Now, you were wrong not to push Bonnie away right away, and you were wrong to start feeling her up, too. But I've never had Bonnie kiss me, so I won't pretend she's easy to get away from. At least, I've never heard of a guy getting away once she got her claws on him. But if Kim can't see that you didn't start what happened today, then maybe I am the best friend you have right now. I'd like to believe that you're not a dog. You've never let me down, anyway, so I'm not going to assume the worst. That, and I know the only thing Bonnie hates more than you and Kim is sharing what she thinks is hers. That's why I believe you."

Ron smiled uneasily. "So...you don't hate me? You're not going to hit me?"

Monique lightly smacked his forehead. "Don't do it again, stupid. Now, just leave Kim to me. Don't call her, and don't go to her house. I need to do some damage control. You just go home and wait for Tara to call. And she will call. Tell her what you told me, and hope she decides to take your word over Bonnie's."

"What if she doesn't?" Ron whispered.

Monique smiled sadly. "Then I'll cancel my date for the dance, and we'll hang out at Bueno Nacho, just the two of us, and drown our sorrows in cheese. My treat."

"Our sorrows? What do you have to be sad about?"

"I have to watch a sweet guy like you suffer. That's reason enough."

"Won't Kim be mad if you take my side?" Ron asked.

"Yeah. But once I remind her that this is BONNIE we're dealing with, she'll remember on her own how manipulative the little tramp can be." She reached over and slipped her arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry, Ron. We'll get her back. Even Kim can't stay mad forever."

"Are you sure, Monique? She practically looked at me like I was Shego."

Monique chuckled softly. "Just be glad she didn't beat you down like you were Shego. That's a good sign, at least."

* * *

Kim knew this was a bad idea. It almost had to be. But lately, it seemed as if the logical choices just weren't working out anymore.

It was time to get a little underhanded.

And it really didn't get any more underhanded than what she was about to do.

Something was going on with Ron, no matter what he said. It was his actions that worried her, and if he kept going down this path he was on, it would turn out to be a very bad thing. The only thing Kim knew for certain was that she couldn't and wouldn't be best friends with the Ron that reached the end of that path. But she wasn't about to give up on him yet. Based on what she'd seen today, though, she needed answers, and she needed them fast. There was only one person on the planet who probably knew exactly why Ron was acting the way he was. If Ron wouldn't tell her what was going on, then Kim was left with no alternative, unpleasant as the thought was.

Mentally steeling herself, Kim took a deep breath and stepped into the interrogation room, nodding to the guard to leave them alone.

"I'm not going to fool around with you. Tell me what I want to know. I don't care how much it costs-"

"What kind of criminal do you take me for, Kim Possible? I cannot be bought."

Kim just stared at him.

"I am, however, a reasonable man, always willing to…negotiate."

"What do you want?"

"What I want, you would never freely give. But give it, you will, for what only I can give you in return."

"So spit it out. What is it that you want from me?"

The man before her smiled darkly. "A taste of innocence, of fear, of blind trust. Because to get what you want, you will have to trust me. You'll have to trust that what I share with you is pure truth. No more, or less. If you can't do that, the truth will never be made known to you."

"I'm listening," Kim assured him.

"That's not nearly enough," Monkey Fist chuckled, "but it's a start. And if you're as strong as I suspect you are, perhaps you won't even feel the need to scream…"

* * *

It was well into the evening when Ron's phone finally rang. Taking a deep breath, he checked the Caller ID, paled considerably, and picked up the phone. "Tara?"

"Ron! What happened to you after practice? I waited forever, and you never came out of the locker room!"

Ron blinked several times as realization sank in. "You…you didn't…talk to Bonnie? She didn't…tell you?"

"What? No! I've been calling her all night, and I haven't been able to get her. What happened?"

Ron stood there in pure shock. Why wouldn't Bonnie have told Tara? Wasn't that the whole point of the kiss? What had changed her mind?

Well, if Bonnie hadn't told Tara yet, then Ron still had a chance to give her his side of the story, no matter how much it would hurt them both.

"Tara…I'm sorry. About flaking on you…and for what I'm about to tell you."

"Did…Bonnie say something to you?" Tara asked slowly, sounding as if she dreaded the answer.

"She…we did more than talk." Ron swallowed nervously, then proceeded to tell Tara exactly what he'd told Monique, remembering her advice.

"Ron," Tara said quietly when he was done, "I hope you know that if you were anyone else, I would've hung up a long time ago."

"What does that mean?" Ron asked helplessly.

"I've known all along that your life isn't like anyone else's, and that I'd have to make exceptions for you…and Bonnie, too, if we were going to be together. I guess I just didn't want to think that she'd go this far to keep us apart. But if she were going to lie about this, she would've called me right away. That she hasn't tells me that something didn't go like she planned."

"Really? Like what?"

"I'll tell you later. But there is something we need to discuss right now."

Ron's face fell. "I was afraid of that."

"I know you're a good guy, Ron, and that today wasn't normal for you. But outside of missions, I expect you to be completely honest with me, and that starts right now. I need you to answer some questions for me."

"Okay," Ron replied. It sounded reasonable enough, at least.

"Why didn't you kiss Bonnie back?"

For a moment, Ron was sure he'd heard wrong. But when Tara repeated the question, he still wasn't sure how to answer, even though he felt his lips moving.

"I couldn't. It's one thing if Bonnie had told you I did it. But if I actually had, then…it would meant that she was right about me not caring about you. I do care about you, Tara, I swear it."

"I know you do. Did you enjoy the kiss at all?"

Ron shut his eyes tightly. "Yes, and no. It…hurt, actually. I think Bonnie meant for it to hurt. But at the same time…I didn't make her stop. I should've made her stop." He waited for Tara to agree with him, and nearly fell over when she didn't.

"I have two more questions, Ron. Why do you think Bonnie hasn't called me yet?"

Ron had to think about that one. Bonnie's plan seemed to work in his eyes. Why wouldn't she go through with it and tell Tara? He remembered the look on Bonnie's face, right before and right after she'd kissed him. He hadn't yet questioned the fear he'd smelt as she ran away, but he knew that she was afraid of something in the locker room earlier today. It couldn't be him, though; she'd come looking for a confrontation with him. What was it that had scared her so badly? She wasn't afraid of hurting Tara in the process, obviously, so what was it?

Ron tried to put himself in Bonnie's shoes, although it was more than a bit difficult. If someone tried to take Kim away from him, he'd be furious, and he'd let nothing stand in his way. Of course, the culprits he immediately thought of were Dr. Drakken and Monkey Fist. But Bonnie wasn't evil, at least not professionally, so maybe picturing them was throwing him off.

That was when something occurred to him. There was one huge difference between the two situations: Bonnie had directed her wrath at him, someone she didn't usually see fit to attack physically. It was only because Ron was interested in Tara that she'd done so. But Ron did battle with Drakken and Monkey Fist all the time, so if he was really going to see this through Bonnie's eyes, he would have to feel threatened by someone he didn't usually trade blows with.

With no warning, a vision popped into his head. He was back in the locker room, and Monkey Fist was glaring at him, his powerful arms wrapped around Kim's neck and waist as they slowly backed away.

"If you want her so badly, Ron Stoppable, come and get her!" Monkey Fist demanded.

Without even thinking, Ron flung himself forward, even as Monkey Fist shoved Kim aside and charged as well. But just before Ron collided with the monkey man, he could see the shadows in Monkey Fist's face growing…warping. And when they slammed into each other, instead of a big whiff of sweaty monkey hair, Ron got some exotic perfume instead. He slowly looked up into burning emerald eyes, one of which winked at him.

"Easy, sidekick. Don't want your precious Kimmie to get the wrong idea about us, do you?" Shego teased mercilessly, leering at him.

Ron began to back up, but Shego yanked him closer until their noses were touching.

"I know how you really feel, Ronnie. You can say you hate me all you want. But as long as we both know the truth, that's all that matters." Shego lowered her voice to a husky whisper. "You. Want. Me." With that, she closed the distance between them, her lips burning hot as they claimed his own.

Ron's eyes snapped open, and he felt cold all over. Slowly, he muttered three words he never thought he'd use in the same sentence.

"Bonnie…likes…me?"

There was no answer from Tara. Instead, there was one last question.

"Can you honestly tell me you don't have any romantic feelings for Bonnie?"

Ron almost answered right away. Almost. But then he remembered how he hadn't broken the kiss, and how he'd actually touched Bonnie…and hadn't been rejected, at least not for an instant. He remembered all the times he'd asked her out, and all the corresponding times she'd shot him down with a mere look. He remembered joking with Kim about how insulting people was Bonnie's way of paying attention to them, and Kim's response that if that were true, then Bonnie had to like them most of all. He remembered how nice it had been to hold her for the first time. Finally, he remembered all the times he'd looked at Bonnie, and wished, if only for a moment, he could be with someone so beautiful…on the outside, at least.

"No," Ron said at last, hanging his head.

"Being honest is hard, isn't it?" Tara asked sympathetically.

Ron could scarcely believe what he was hearing. "What?"

"Do you know why I don't sound surprised, Ron?"

"No?"

He could almost hear the smile in her voice. "Because, like you said, I'm not a dumb blonde. I'll see you tomorrow, dance partner."

"But…you mean… you still…?"

"Yes, Ron. I still like you. I'm just going to have a long talk with Bonnie about how she treats my boyfriends in the future."

"Do I…still have to dance with her?"

Tara sighed. "I'm afraid so. Now, more than ever. But I promise, she won't jump you anymore. At least not with intent to harm."

"That doesn't really make me feel better," Ron admitted.

"I know," Tara replied with a laugh. "But I can't just not be friends with her, even now. You wouldn't understand."

"It feels like she's been with you for as long as you can remember, and you wouldn't know what to do without her in your life?"

"Exactly," Tara answered. "Is that how it is for you and Kim?"

"Pretty much. But Kim isn't going to jump you. Not unless you're part of an underground drug smuggling group or something. And if you just had to be jumped, I'd insist on handling the matter personally."

Tara giggled. "Well, I guess we just made up. If we were ever fighting at all."

"What about Bonnie?"

"Don't be mad at her, Ron. It'll seem odd to you, but she was trying to protect me, in her own way. She just didn't take her own feelings into account when she did what she did. If she wasn't so upset about me seeing you, I could've told her something like this would happen ages ago."

"You knew she would jump me?"

"No, I knew she was ignoring her feelings for you. Hopefully, she knows that now, too."

"But now that she does, what's she going to do about it?" Ron asked.

"You probably don't want to hear this, but it looks like we'll find out together."

"You're right," Ron groaned. "I didn't want to hear that."

* * *

"I'm crazy," Bonnie whispered to herself. "I'm crazy, and that's all there is to it."

That little mantra had done nothing to silence the voice inside her head, however, the one that insisted that people like Bonnie Rockwaller didn't go crazy, they just took little vacations from reality every now and then to clear their heads. The only thing that both sides seemed to agree on was that she had to have been on an extended vacation to miss the revelations of the past few hours.

In one impulsive act, she'd managed to turn her whole life upside down, and now she was paying for it.

She had marched into the locker room with a clear goal in mind, and everything had been going according to plan. Ron had been either too scared or too confused to run from her, and even if he'd bothered to try escaping, she would've had no problem with chasing him down this one time. He'd made it so easy to corner him that Bonnie had almost laughed at the time, and probably would've if she hadn't been so upset and determined.

Though the kiss was something she'd been dreading ever since she'd devised the plan, it had to be done. But then, Bonnie would've done absolutely anything in order to keep Tara by her side, even kiss Ron Stoppable. And, she'd constantly told herself, it wasn't a kiss, so much as it was an attack delivered through the lips. She would've preferred setting up a hidden camera and taping the whole thing, but there hadn't been time.

The kiss, however, was when things began to go really wrong. Bonnie had experience with kissing boys into submission, and liked to think she was quite good at it. But most of those had been boys that were at the very least obviously attractive. Rarely had Bonnie deemed it necessary to use her skills on an outcast, as most of them were swayed with simple bedroom eyes or a little caress on the cheek. Still, for Tara, exceptions had to be made, and Ron Stoppable was definitely becoming an annoyance worthy of some serious attention. So with every fiber of her being begging her not to, Bonnie had planted one on Ron, hoping he would at least have the decency to faint quickly.

Only it hadn't worked out that way. Ron hadn't really swayed or looked faint at all, and more Bonnie had put into the kiss, the less affected he'd seemed by her standards. She was still trying to account for this strangely strong resistance when Ron's hands had settled on her hips. As far back as she could remember, that had never served as a signal for Bonnie to completely throw herself at a boy, nor was it a terribly arousing spot for her. All the same, Ron's apparent acceptance had done something to her, and for one endless moment, Bonnie had forgotten all about the plan, who she was kissing, and even Tara. All she was aware of was how…natural it had felt, to want and be wanted like that.

Her plan had been to split up Ron and Tara. But now she was forced to admit that at that point, she'd only wanted Ron for herself. And as ridiculous as the thought was, she couldn't deny that it was the main reason she'd run away from him. Even more outrageous was the fact Bonnie had seen plenty of proof that Ron could give her so many of the things she'd always wanted. He was loyal, but not to the point where he didn't understand the concept of 'me time'. He would appreciate her beauty, while still treasuring what lay beneath it. He could be a gentleman without being overprotective, a constant companion without being too clingy, a boyfriend without being obsessed about what people would say. If anything, Bonnie was more concerned with what people…and Tara…would think of her.

Speaking of Tara, how could Bonnie STILL be even considering dating Ron? He was Tara's boyfriend, assuming they got past this last hurdle she'd placed in front of them. Even if he wasn't, he might still be in too much shock to let Bonnie get anywhere near him anytime soon. What could she possibly say to him now? What could she say to Tara?

Her cell phone buzzed in her pocket, breaking into her thoughts, but Bonnie didn't answer it. She couldn't talk to anyone until she'd ordered her thoughts…the ones that still made sense, anyway. And there were precious few of those at the moment, in her opinion.

"That doesn't do you much good if you don't answer it," a voice observed.

Bonnie sucked in a gasp and whirled around, nearly twisting her ankle in the process. At it was, she stumbled a bit, being steadied by two familiar hands settling on her shoulders.

"So this is where you ran off to," Tara said quietly. "It's a good thing I know you as well as I hoped I did. Otherwise, I never would've found you."

"I'm surprised you wanted to find me at all," Bonnie muttered, looking away.

Tara sighed patiently. "Bonnie, if I couldn't forgive the things you do from time to time, then we wouldn't still be best friends. You've never tried to steal my boyfriends before, so can I assume this isn't going to become a habit?"

"With other boyfriends, or with him?" Bonnie asked before she realized what she was saying.

But Tara smiled. "I think we can still be friends, and that I can forgive this little…mishap. But only if you admit that you have feelings for Ron."

Bonnie sputtered uncontrollably. "I do NOT have-"

"You tried to break me up with my boyfriend, Bonnie," Tara reminded her. "Either you wanted him for yourself, or you wanted to hurt me in order to help me, or you just wanted to hurt me. And I can't believe it's the last one at all, or just one of the first two."

"Like I was saying, I don't have feelings for-"

"I'd still love you if you did, you know," Tara murmured softly. "You can't help what your heart feels. You can't help it if some part of you is attracted to Ron, anymore than you can help it that some part of you wants…even needs to protect me from him. Just like I can't help caring about you both. So I would never blame you if you felt something for Ron. I'd only blame you if you didn't tell me you did."

Bonnie squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Finally, she muttered, "I don't want to feel this way."

"But you do, and that's okay."

"No, it isn't! He's your boyfriend, and I…I never felt this way before now!"

"Are you sure?" Tara asked. "When he stayed with you when you were sick, didn't you feeling anything then, even if you didn't know what it was? When he kept asking you out or trying to cheer you up, didn't it make you feel good inside? When he started paying more attention to me, were you just jealous of one, or both of us?"

"I don't know, okay?" Bonnie cried. "I just don't know what I felt anymore! Why are you so okay with this? He's your boyfriend! Doesn't it bother you?"

Tara nodded. "A little. It would bother me more if you couldn't admit your feelings to yourself, though."

"So what do you expect me to do? Act like he doesn't exist?" Bonnie demanded.

"No. First, I want you to make up your mind. Figure out exactly what you want. Once you have, we'll go from there."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It's not, but it doesn't have to be so complicated, either." Tara smiled and poked Bonnie's shoulder. "But the next time you kiss my boyfriend, I'm going to take it personally."

Bonnie didn't smile…mostly because she had a feeling that day would come sooner than any of them suspected.

* * *

The guard managed an uneasy smile as Kim Possible emerged from the interrogation room. "So, how'd it go, Miss Possible?"

Kim stopped short, as if she hadn't realized he was addressing her at first, and looked at the guard.

Not even knowing why, the guard at once took two steps back.

"Fine," Kim said flatly. "Just fine." She managed a smile that was obviously fake and continued down the hall at brisk pace.

The guard swallowed hard. There was something about Kim's eyes that had bothered him a great deal, but he couldn't put his finger on it just then. Chalking it up to his imagination, the guard entered the interrogation room to collect the prisoner.

The instant their eyes met, the guard knew at once where'd he seen that look. It was the very same look that Monkey Fist always gave everyone in the prison. The one that said that they were mere obstacles, and temporary ones at best. The one that said if he really wanted to, he could break them without even trying.

The one that said that in the wild, all they were was his prey.

* * *

Next Chapter: Kim is determined to recover the Ron she knows, but can she do it when she is no longer the Kim that he knows?

Reviews!

Manaic Polar Bear

See, here, NOT so much with the asshole! Even a halfway-reasonable portrayal of Kim as "just a friend." THIS is what I'm talkin' about.

P.S., I get that you're not against Kim/Ron, but you obviously don't find it to be "the best couple evar", as your peers put it. I'm curious, why is that?

_I swear I still don't know why you think I hate Ron. Every KP character has some amusement value for me, I don't hate any of them. I just want some of them to stay at least ten feet from each other at all times, is all. Most of my issues with Kim/Ron stem from the way StD ended. (see my thoughts in the LONG endnotes to "So NOT the Drama") The rest are from me being a Kigo fanboy._

* * *

Kitsune6

Ah, I missed this story. It's been a while since the last update. Or maybe I'm just senile.

I like everything in here, especially what you're doing with the plot. Umm, I forget, is this staying Ron/Tara or is it going to be a RonBon story?

Keep up the great work. No seriously, keep it up. I need more. The fluffiness is cute. Just no crazy-ape sex please. lol

_You're not senile. For the most part, it's Ron/Tara. But Bonnie will have to deal with her feelings at some point, and she's always been a very…direct person._

* * *

Serious Fan

Is Tera trying to hook Bonnie and Ron up? I love the bonnie/ron pairing but isn't that weird?

_Yes and no to both. Which isn't much of an answer._


	8. New Kim on the Block

Note: If Kim seems out of character, it's done on purpose this time.

Chapter 7: New Kim on the Block

_"Sister with brothers."_

Ron grunted and sleepily opened his eyes, shifting his bleary gaze over to the alarm clock. If it was to be believed, Pak had just woken him up at 5:45 AM, and on a Saturday, no less.

This could not go on.

"Dude," Ron muttered, "how come you're in my head, and you conveniently miss the fact that Saturday equals sleeping in? Oh, and that I'm an only child?"

Pak's answer came in the form of what could best be described as a mental poke. _"Clanmate."_ When this did not provoke the response Pak was seeking, he found a more familiar label for what he was trying to describe. _"KP."_

This, at least, convinced Ron to drag himself out of bed with a yawn, but he didn't move very fast.

At least, not until he heard a loud screech float up from the backyard.

Ron's eyes went wide. He'd forgotten to tell Kim that the monkey ninjas were in the backyard, and if she'd been going for her usual morning jog, then she'd circle the house like she always did, partially to add a little more distance to her run, but mostly to make sure everything around the Stoppable home was okay. Which meant she'd probably run right into monkey ninjas doing...whatever they did that early in the morning.

Considering that Kim was mad enough at him, this did not bode well.

Ron didn't even bother to change out of his pajamas as he burst from his room, took the stairs two at a time, and ran for the back door. He threw it open, just in time to see a monkey ninja go flying past his head.

Kim was in rare form, trading rapid blows and slinging entire monkey ninjas when she could grab a tail, arm, or leg. To the monkeys' credit, though, even when they were tossed away, it only took a moment for most of them to rejoin the battle.

Ron didn't know what to do at first. Finally, he charged towards them, shouting at the top of his lungs, "STOP!"

The monkey ninjas parted like a furry, black cloud, giving Ron a clear path and an unobstructed view of Kim. And once he got a good look at her, Ron really wished they hadn't.

Kim stood at the ready, panting slightly and drenched in sweat. Normally, she would've been wearing a random top and some sweatpants for her jog, but this was no longer the case. The top was still random, but there was a whole lot less of it today, and what there was only served to stretch tightly around Kim's upper body. The material offered Ron an all too obvious mold of her chest, and the sweat soaked through her front only made things worse. It took sheer force of will to drag his eyes downward, where they found Kim's toned belly practically shining with sweat as she breathed in and out. Ron was certain things couldn't get worse, but that was when he took in the pair of denim cutoff shorts that ended far above Kim's knees. Upon closer inspection, he was almost certain they had been an overpriced pair of Club Banana jeans last week, and when Kim turned slightly, he could just make out the familiar tiny logo on her backside.

The whole looking over took Ron about five seconds, and in that small space, he knew that anything he attempted to say would be peppered with random body parts like "legs" and even worse, "breast," so he clamped his mouth shut and willed his body to go right back into the house.

Of course, it didn't obey. A rather large part of him wanted to stay right there and get chewed out by Kim, if for no other reason than he could look at her while she did so.

However, Kim didn't seem the least bit upset about being attacked or ogled. In fact, she looked disarmingly pleased with her morning so far, even when she finally noticed Ron staring at her with his mouth open.

"Oh, hey, Ron!" Kim said brightly. "I didn't see you. The guys were just helping me amp up my workout."

Ron took a good look at "the guys," and finally noticed that not one of them seemed overly upset in any way, except possibly at having their sparring interrupted. Chippy in particular was bouncing at Kim's side, as if he expected the fight to renew itself at any moment.

"You know, if you're going to join us, you should change first," Kim added lightly, doing her best not to smirk.

Ron completely ignored the shot at his pajamas. "Who are you and what have you done with Kim Possible?" he demanded.

Kim tilted her head sympathetically. "Did we get up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"No, we're just wondering what happened to the Kim Possible we know." Ron took a deep breath and barreled ahead in a rush. "Specifically, the one we last saw in the locker room yesterday."

Kim's face fell, but only a little. She actually looked more worried than mad. "Oh. That."

Ron couldn't believe what he was seeing. The Kim he knew would still be furious and eager to argue her point of view. But if his guess was right, this one was actually dreading the conversation more than he was.

Kim sat down on the grass. Instantly, each and every monkey ninja did the same, and Ron, feeling a little awkward, sat down as well.

"I shouldn't have reacted the way I did," Kim said at once, seeming embarrassed. "It's just...you know Bonnie really bugs me, and just the thought of you two kissing makes my skin crawl. And now that you're with Tara, well...all I could see was red."

"So...what changed between then and now?" Ron asked warily.

"I did. I mean, I had a chance to calm down and really think about it. It's not totally your fault. Bonnie probably finally saw what Tara has seen in you all along, and wanted you for herself. And since she's not so good with words that aren't angry ones, all she could do was kiss you."

Ron didn't quite believe that entire thought, but he hadn't talked to Bonnie yet, so maybe Kim was onto something.

"And as horrendous as I make Bonnie out to be, she's actually really pretty. You have to have noticed that, you're a guy. And most guys that Bonnie kissed without warning would've done a whole lot more than you did. So it was wrong of me to be mad at you for that. But, I still expect you to tell Tara about this."

Ron stared at Kim hard, wondering what had really come over her. "I did. We talked on the phone last night and cleared the air. She took it even better than you did. And, by the way, did you talk to Monique?"

Kim nodded. "We had a little chat last night, but I'd already thought this out by then."

"You mean you're not here to hit me and yell?" Ron asked.

"No, Ron. I'd never hit you with the intention of hurting you."

"Okay, I have to stop you right there." Ron got to his feet and began to pace back and forth. "KP, don't take this the wrong way, but you're acting like a totally different person here. You come out here, start beating my monkeys, and you're dressed like this, and I-"

"There's nothing wrong with the way I'm dressed!" Kim snapped, leaping to her feet. "Isn't it just a bit more likely that maybe you suddenly find me attractive? That Bonnie just opened up your wandering eye?" Kim paused, smirked, and stepped closer. "Or maybe, just maybe, you've felt this way about me all along...?"

Ron backed away, looking both irritated and terrified. "Kim, I'm only going to say this once. Back OFF! I've got enough trouble sorting things out with Bonnie. I don't need you going nuts and jumping me, too!" With that, Ron spun around and stomped back into the house.

_"KP...sister?"_ Pak queried doubtfully. _"Act more like mate..."_

"Dude, don't even start with me right now. Like I told Kim, I've already got way too much on my plate."

Out in the backyard, Kim smiled to herself. "I use him as a distraction for years, and now he gets distracted. If Bonnie's distracting him, I'll just take her out of the picture..."

* * *

One of Bonnie's fondest childhood memories had always been the roses her father brought her when he came to visit. Even before she'd known what they were, she had loved the very sight and smell of them. That they came from her father was an added bonus, and no other flowers could ever compare to those.

Or so Bonnie had believed, until she'd gotten a little older and much wiser. Her father had visited less and less, though he still always sent flowers. The only problem was, they didn't smell anywhere near as good if he wasn't there to hand them to Bonnie personally, and she'd actually thrown away the last couple without even bothering to smell them.

Yet, she still found herself wandering to Upperton Gardens once a month, searching for the ever elusive rose that smelled slightly of memories and expensive cologne. She had never found it, but she couldn't convince herself to stop looking, either. Logic dictated she would find it the day her father came to visit again, but Bonnie had given him up as a lost cause some time ago, and was determined to find the flower on her own.

She told no one of her mission, not even Tara, because on those days, Bonnie wanted to be alone with her thoughts, whatever they might be. Perhaps she was afraid of being talked out of it, or merely allowing herself to be talked out of it. Part of her always wanted to turn the car around midway and go home, but always she drove on until she'd reached the park. It was one of her sanctuaries, one of the few places where she could truly feel alone.

Today's search, however, did not go well. Bonnie's thoughts continued to turn to Ron and Tara, together and separately, and she wasn't sure which were worse. She was torn between being mad at Tara for being so forgiving, and being mad at Ron for being so...attractive all of a sudden. That, and she was mad at herself for finding him so attractive all of a sudden.

The thoughts continued to haunt her, until Bonnie sank down on a bench and tried to clear her head. She focused on the one thing that never failed to empty her head of all other thoughts: Kim Possible. It couldn't be healthy, spending that much time thinking about her rival, but thinking of Kim always summoned a myriad of emotions in Bonnie, few of them good ones.

Bonnie was almost ready to renew her search when she sensed that she was no longer alone.

"We REALLY need to talk, Bon-Bon," said a familiar voice behind her.

Bonnie closed her eyes. "Please go away, Ron. I can't talk to you right now."

"That works out great, actually," Ron added, walking into her view. "I was more interested in talking while you listened. So if I could just sit-"

"Don't sit," Bonnie said at once, looking a little alarmed. "Don't come near me."

Understanding flashed across his face. "Right, sorry." Ron took a deep breath.

"How did you find me?" Bonnie asked abruptly.

Ron stared at her. "Um. Sniffed you out. See, that's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about..."

Over the next several minutes, Bonnie sat there and listened to Ron launch into a very detailed explanation on Monkey Fist and something called Mystical Monkey Power. Not all or even much of it made sense to her, but she waited in silence, thinking Ron might actually be leading up to something.

"And I say all of that to say that lately, I've been...acting a bit more instinctive, instead of rationally. So when you kissed me, and I didn't push you away...I think it was because, deep down, some part of me recognized that you were...an available female, in heat. It didn't help that you were all sweaty, and soft, and warm, and...well. You're you, you know how us guys react to you, and it just...happened. I don't want you to get the wrong idea, it was...instinct, pure and simple. I still want to be with Tara, and you still want to be her friend."

Bonnie frowned. "But I kissed you, and I liked it. WE liked it, and don't you dare try to deny it."

Ron held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not denying anything. But we have to think about Tara."

"I am. I'm thinking I wish I'd gotten to you before she did."

Ron looked at her for a long moment. "That's less thinking about her and more thinking about me," he said at last.

"Well, that's how I feel right now."

"Bonnie, don't take this the wrong way, but it sounds like you don't regret what happened between us."

"I like being in touch with my feelings, Ron. That kiss...told me something about myself that I didn't know. I don't regret it."

Ron suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "So...are you saying you'd do it again?"

Bonnie locked her gaze on his. "Yes."

This was obviously not the answer he'd been hoping for. "But...you won't. Right?"

"You should know something about me, Ron. I don't make promises I can't keep. I certainly don't make promises I have no intention of keeping."

"Um...you didn't really answer the question."

"I think I did. Bye, Ron."

"But I think you missed the whole point of the lecture!" he cried.

"I got it. You feel uncomfortable about the kiss. Maybe all you really need is a better kiss to replace that one."

Ron took a step back. "Sure. From Tara."

Bonnie smiled. "We'll see."

"We shouldn't. We should let Tara see!" Ron pleaded desperately.

"We'll see," Bonnie repeated. "Bye, Ron."

Looking very miserable, Ron walked away.

Bonnie watched him go with that same smile. Then, her face fell, and she sighed heavily. "Sorry, T. But I warned you this would happen..."

It took a few minutes, but when Bonnie had collected herself, she stood up, deciding that she should just give up on her search for today and go home. She'd barely taken a step when a shadow fell over her. "Ron, I thought I said-"

"Now why would you think I was him?"

Bonnie's head snapped up, her face going pale before twisting into a grimace. "Oh. It's you."

Kim aimed a practically venomous smile at her. "Answer the question, Bonnie. Why would you be expecting Tara's boyfriend? In a place Tara doesn't frequent, no less?"

"This is none of your business, Possible," Bonnie said, turning to leave.

Kim slid easily into her path, cutting off Bonnie's exit. "Actually, Rockwaller, it is. I consider Tara a good friend, and you know the story with Ron and I. But I guess some of us are just better friends than others, huh?"

"Back off, Kim!" Bonnie cried. "I don't feel like talking about this now, and definitely not with you!"

"Oh, you don't have to talk, Bonnie," Kim replied sweetly. "Just listen. I'll even use small words so there's no misunderstanding." She took a rather menacing step forward, all humor fading from her face and voice. "Stay away from Ron."

"Because you think you can be a better friend to Tara than I could?" Bonnie sneered.

"Not even close, but incidentally, I wouldn't go around kissing her boyfriend," Kim remarked. "No, you're going to stay away from Ron because I told you to."

Bonnie smirked. "Look, just because I've seen you kick butt a few times doesn't mean I'm scared of you, Kim. I have my own ways of threatening people, too."

Kim took another step forward. "Maybe you should be afraid of me, Bonnie."

The smirk dropped off of Bonnie's face as she got right in Kim's face. "And when have I EVER taken advice from you?"

Kim took a step back, but only so she could properly aim a firm-handed slap that sent Bonnie sprawling on the ground. "Again, maybe you should."

Bonnie slowly stood up, her body shuddering with rage. "You...you hit me..."

"If you're going to slap me back, I should warn you that just because my parents frown on violence, that doesn't mean I won't defend myself against the likes of you, Bonnie."

Bonnie took a deep breath. "Oh, I would NEVER slap you, Kim," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Rockwallers never resort to such primitive means to solve their problems."

For some reason, Kim found that so funny that she had laugh, and perhaps closed her eyes for only a few instants as she did so. When she opened them, she had just enough time to realize that Bonnie's closed fist, not her open hand, was headed straight at her. Of course, with Kim's reflexes, it was a simple matter to catch the fist and use Bonnie's own momentum to execute a simple throw.

Only the matter became a bit more complex when the caught fist ended up having a LOT more momentum than Kim had anticipated, so much that the sting left Kim's entire left arm numb, and nearly twisted her completely around. But she never lost her grip on the fist, and so when the unexpected force of impact caused Kim to lose her balance, she accidentally dragged Bonnie down with her. Kim landed hard on the grass, and had the air forced out of her when Bonnie landed on top of her.

Bonnie scrambled off of her seconds later, panting and looking considerably fatigued for a single punch, though the force behind it had been very considerable.

Kim got up much faster, with little more than a few grass stains and the surprise on her face to show for it. "Nice hit," she said genuinely. "Well, it would've been."

"I'm not a big fan of being patronized," Bonnie spat.

"I'm not patronizing you, Bonnie. It really WAS a good hit. For a girl who doesn't save the world regularly, anyway. And with some training, you might not be far off from that." Whether the flush in Bonnie's cheeks was from anger or pleasure, Kim wasn't sure.

"I'm going home," Bonnie muttered, turning to leave again.

"You really will need training, if you're not going to take my advice on Ron," Kim called after her. "Because unlike you, I can still walk straight after throwing one punch."

Bonnie tossed a glare over her shoulder and kept going, though after a while she did have to stop and catch her breath a few times.

Kim watched Bonnie go, then turned her gaze to her left arm, which was really starting to hurt as the numbness wore off. "Interesting," she muttered thoughtfully with an odd smile on her lips.

* * *

Monique was just about to take her lunch break early when she noticed that two very familiar cheerleaders had entered Club Banana while she was in the stockroom. Of course, it was never odd to see Bonnie or Tara there, and certainly not together, but Monique also noticed that there was a little tension between them, and all of it seemed to originate from Bonnie, anyway (which, again, was no surprise).

So when the two separated for a brief moment, Monique made a beeline for Tara, determined to pump her for info under the guise of assisting her. Naturally, all she had to do was mention the upcoming dance in passing to get Tara talking.

"I'm going to wear black this time around," Tara revealed as she browsed through some jeans.

"Any particular reason why?" Monique asked.

"It was Bonnie's idea. She's wearing black, too."

"Um...Tara, you don't think this is a plot to have Ron get you two mixed up at the dance, do you?"

Tara shook her head. "No. Bonnie's probably going to spend the whole night avoiding Ron as it is."

"You sound pretty sure of that," Monique observed.

"It's one thing for her to corner Ron in an empty locker room. But I doubt Bonnie would get anywhere near him in public. She'll just claim he's a loser in order to keep from admitting how she really feels."

"Good point. I can't see Bonnie tossing her rep aside for a guy. Especially not one that you're currently dating."

"It's funny. Even if I wasn't with Ron, Bonnie still wouldn't let herself be seen with him. She just gets hung up on the wrong things sometimes."

"You mean what people think, or Ron?"

"Both. I'll admit I don't want to fight her over him, but I'm hoping it's just a crush."

"And if it isn't?" Monique asked.

Tara sighed. "Well...I guess one of us would have to make a choice."

"Could you really choose between Ron and Bonnie?"

"I don't know. I'm hoping it'll never come to that, but Bonnie has to make up her mind first. Until she decides what she really wants, and how much she wants it, all I can do is wait."

"Wow. You're either a really good friend, or...um..."

"Stupid?" Tara offered with a slight smile.

"What? No! I didn't mean it like that. But it really seems like you're going to get hurt no matter what the outcome, Tara."

"Some things are worth the risk, Monique," Tara murmured, turning away to stare at Bonnie. "No matter how bad the hurt is."

* * *

Next Chapter: Ron decides to stretch his legs…and ends up running into an old friend.

Reviews!

ron-sama: Keep in mind that Tara didn't see Ron kissing Bonnie, and that Ron actually told her first. Also, she was already aware that Bonnie might have feelings for Ron, so it didn't shock her as much as it would've otherwise. Tara is used to forgiving Bonnie's impulsiveness, being her best friend.

Annie Nomouse: Rest assured that Kim remains whole, though not quite pure. No sex in the interrogation room. Though I am curious as to what makes you think Kim IS a virgin to begin with. Which isn't to say she isn't, but I want to know why you think she is.

mattb367: Don't get too excited too fast. The attachment Bonnie feels for Tara is different from what she feels for Ron, and neither is something she's completely comfortable with at the moment.

GargoyleSama: What are you talking about? They kissed! That's the most action Ron's seen so far! Rest assured it won't be the last time they have a close encounter, either.


	9. Limits

Notes: This is my own take on what happened between Ron and Zita, so don't be surprised if you don't care for or believe it.

Chapter 9: Limits

_"Left. LEFT!"_

"Pak, dude, I KNOW how to beat the Ice Wizard. Back off, would you?"

Pak settled down, but the sense of urgency in Ron did not as he focused his attention on the video game in front of him. Apparently he wasn't the only one that enjoyed a little healthy competition.

Ron had come to Middleton Mall to get away from his troubles for a while, and amazingly, it had worked. But this was probably because Tara, Bonnie, and Kim weren't interested in video games, so the chances of running into them in the arcade were pretty low. So for a few hours, Ron put his heart on hold while he let his fingers do the talking for him. And, in the end, they landed him a spot in the Everlot: Destiny Finals. The winner would get the new expansion pack, and over a thousands hours of free play. Ron had only played the game on and off lately, but it was a welcome distraction, and he found his old skills had improved quite a bit. Pak probably had something to do with that; he was really into the game, for some reason.

The other finalist was some redhead Ron had only glanced at, but she had to be good to have made it this far. Chances were, she didn't have a monkey in her head, so Ron figured he had an edge.

The finals weren't to start for another hour, so Ron jogged down to the food court to grab some snacks. About the best choice was a Bueno Nacho knock off known as Senor Speedy's. Ron was permanently suspicious of anything with "Seńor" in the title, but a Buen0 Nacho run now could very well cost him the finals, so he didn't have a whole lot of options.

Ron forced down a few second-rate burritos and hurried back to the arcade with about twenty minutes to spare. He took a few minutes to flex his fingers while waiting, and was surprised by how much fun he'd been having on his own. Well, Rufus was there for emotional support (he'd promised to allow a human player to win this time around). But it had been so long since Ron had had any real fun alone. He was always paired up with Kim, or Felix, or Kim and Monique, or Tara. It was kind of cool, knowing he didn't have to depend on someone else to have a good time. Although it would've been pretty nice to have Tara cheering him on, she might've just distracted him from his distraction.

The finals came and went, and Ron pulled out a last minute victory by a grand total of only one hit point. Apparently, he'd picked up a "shiny banana" that the redhead had missed, which meant he had ten more hit points to spare when facing off against the final boss.

Ron was so stunned that he only barely felt Rufus hug his cheek, and was vaguely aware of several people slapping him on the back. They pushed him into the center of the arcade, where he was awarded with the game and a code that would setup his free play time. Ron managed a brief victory speech and walked off, still in a haze. He hadn't intended to win the tournament, just to kill a few hours.

He was just passing by Fab Fashions when someone called his name.

"Ron, is that you?"

Ron turned around, and his eyes widened. "Zita?"

Zita Flores smirked at him. "So you're the jerk that beat my friend Renee in the finals? I almost didn't believe it when she called my cellphone and claimed a nobody named Ron Stoppable stole her prize."

_"Zita...mate?"_ Pak questioned uncertainly.

"Well...no...I mean, yeah, but...not anymore. It's...hard to explain."

"Ron?" Zita asked.

"Oh, sorry. I'm still a little shocked that I won. I didn't mean to, honest."

"So the shock has nothing to do with running into me?" Zita asked, peering closely at him.

"Uh...well, maybe a little," Ron admitted. "But it's good to see you, Zita, really."

"I hope you mean that, since I was thinking of celebrating your victory with some ice cream. My treat, so it's not a date."

"Won't Renee mind?"

"She was getting a big head, anyway. Better a total stranger took her down a peg than me. I've lost a few friends by beating the pants off them in Everlot. So, we going for ice cream or what?"

Ron paused for a moment. If he went with Zita, he could very well rediscover the feelings that had attracted him to her in the first place. On the other hand, she claimed it wasn't a date, so that would mean she wasn't interested in dating him anymore.

And it WAS free ice cream, after all.

"Sounds like a plan."

Zita grinned at him. "Good. Now, tell me all about this infamous shiny banana?"

* * *

Kim planted her foot in the door, smiling as it slammed open, echoing throughout the spacious lair. "KP calling!" she shouted.

Instantly, Shego backflipped into view, frowning at her. "Kimmie, you really should learn how to knock."

"Guess I'm just feeling rude today," Kim said brightly, charging right at her.

Shego was a bit startled at the change in tactics, but not enough to throw her off much. She met Kim head-on, exchanging rapid blows and teasing smirks as they moved deeper into the lair.

"You know, this actually is a social visit," Kim admitted as she ducked one of Shego's punches. "But I always appreciate the workout."

Shego allowed a grunt, but nothing else.

"So I was wondering. This feel any different to you?" Kim slipped around another punch and delivered a right, straight-arm punch to Shego's unguarded left arm.

Shego visibly flinched, and returned a similar punch that connected with Kim's shoulder. "You been eating your Wheaties or something?"

"Yeah, or something," Kim muttered, suddenly breaking off her attack. "Thanks, Shego." She turned around and began to leave.

"Hey! You can't just come in here, start a fight, and then walk out on me!" Shego shouted.

"So ambush me after school sometime and we'll call it even," Kim replied, waving over her shoulder.

Shego grumbled for a few more minutes, but eventually made a mental note to do just as Kim had suggested.

* * *

"So when we came back, Rufus had eaten all three of the mudpies!" Ron exclaimed.

Zita laughed lightly, stroking Rufus's back as the mole rat sulked. "Oh, don't feel too bad, Rufus. Plenty of people have made the same mistake. The important thing is that you learned from it."

"Funny you should mention learning from the past," Ron said, trying to seem casual.

She saw right through him, though. "You want to know why it didn't work between us, right?"

"Only if you don't mind talking about it," Ron replied at once.

Zita shook her head. "Actually, you're the one that should mind, Ron. I should've told you then, but I was afraid you'd take it the wrong way. I still am, a little, but I figure it'll hurt less now, since the feelings aren't fresh. That, and I didn't want you to think I was superficial. But relax, it's nothing you did."

"Something I didn't do?" Ron guessed.

"Sort of, but you didn't really have any control over it. It's more my fault, I think."

Ron stared at her. "Um...what?"

Zita smiled. "Ron, when you told Kim about me, did you tell her I was your girlfriend?"

"Well, no. I told her we were dating, and then she started calling you that. But when we stopped, suddenly you were my ex-girlfriend. It was a little weird, actually."

"That's the problem, Ron. We called it dating, but it wasn't, really. It was more hanging out than anything else. Sure, we went to romantic movies, but all we ever did was talk about how fake they were. We had things in common, so we got along fine, but we weren't really...I don't know, clicking. We had chemistry, it was just friendship chemistry. You probably didn't know the difference-"

"-because you were the first girl that ever agreed to do anything with me. Well, other than Kim."

"That's my point. All of our 'dates' were hardly any different than what I do when I hang out with most of my friends. Well, except for the kissing, and we never did very much of it."

"I just thought you were against PDA?" Ron asked.

"I wouldn't know, I've never kissed in public that I can recall."

"So...I'm not sure I understand. Did you like hanging out with me?"

"Yes, Ron! But we were calling it dating, which is why it felt so wrong. If we'd called it what it actually was, maybe this wouldn't be the first time we've spoken in months."

"I did miss you," Ron admitted without thinking.

"I missed you, too," Zita replied with a smile. "No one else likes it when I badmouth the movies they're trying to watch."

"I tried to get Kim into gaming, but after that Everlot incident, she never wanted anything to do with them. And Felix is totally into them, but...well, he's not nearly as pretty."

Zita chuckled. "Ron, don't read too much into this, but...I'd really like it if we could start hanging out again. We could even help each other with the dating thing."

Ron blinked. "How?"

"Well, each girl is different, but I think I could help you know when one just wants to be friends, and when she wants more. And you could...um...tell me if any guys are interested in me. If that wouldn't be too weird."

"I guess not. I do the same thing with Kim sometimes."

"Great. But we should probably keep the dating talk to a minimum, so it doesn't feel like we're using each other to get dates."

"Right. Because we're just two friends helping each other out."

Zita nodded. "Right. Although, I should probably mention I'm perfectly happy being single right now. So what about you?"

"I, um, am actually seeing someone right now," Ron said hesitantly.

"Anyone I know? You're not going to get in trouble for coming out with me, are you?"

"No, Tara's proved to be...enormously understanding about things like that."

"Odd choice of wording. You meant Tara the cheerleader?"

"Yup, that's her."

"Hmm. Sounds like you got really lucky, Ron."

"Why do you say that?"

"From what I know of Tara, she's never had to look too far for a date. What are the odds you'd both be available at the same time?"

"Pretty good, considering I've technically only had one date ever, and even that involved mind control, so it's suspect. All I had to do was wait until Tara was free again."

"Are you being serious, or putting yourself down again?" Zita asked with a frown. "You know I don't like that, Ron."

"Oh. I was just stating fact. Usually I can't get past hello with girls. Tara only started showing interest again when I spent some time with Bonnie."

Zita stared at him. "You spent time with Bonnie Rockwaller?"

"Unwillingly," Ron added quickly. "Well, SHE was unwilling. I was more obligated, being a gentleman and all. Anyway, it worked out...sort of. But we can talk about that later. I should go home and check on my monkeys."

"I thought you hated monkeys?" Zita asked.

"Well, I've found that when they're defending my life instead of threatening it, I like them just fine. You should come over and say hi sometime. Makes them feel important when I introduce people."

"Seeing you and monkeys within ten feet of each other would be worth the trip alone, Ron. So do you still have my number, or did you rip it up?"

Ron laughed nervously. "I may have asked Rufus to chew it a little, but I'm pretty sure it's still legible."

Rolling her eyes, Zita jotted her number down on a napkin. "Just in case it isn't. I'll write my Everlot screenname and email address, in case you forgot those, too."

"So you still have my number?" Ron asked.

"Pretty sure. If I can't find it, then I'll just show up at your house, and you can give it to me while we visit the monkeys."

"Then...this whole friend thing is really going to work?"

"No reason it shouldn't. But maybe you should tell Tara about me."

"You mean tell her we used to date?"

"I meant that we're old friends. If she wants to know more, THEN you tell her we dated a few times and it didn't work out."

"And she'll believe that?"

"Why not? It's true. Besides, I plan to tell her myself. You should set up something...and bring Kim. In case there's a fight."

"Zita..."

"Kidding. But Kim's a good icebreaker. Unless Bonnie comes, too, and then it'll just be awkward and tense. I don't suppose you have a cute friend that's into gaming, do you? Hey, what about Felix? I wouldn't mind chatting with him while Bonnie and Kim bite each other's heads off."

"You've met Felix?"

Zita nodded. "At EverCon 2000. Don't know if I'd want to date him, but he's fun to hang out with, at least. So drag him by Bueno Nacho on Monday, and I'll 'accidentally' run into you guys."

"That seems a little dishonest," Ron commented.

"Ron, he's getting a potential date with me out of it. He's the one getting the deal!"

"Weren't you perfectly happy being single a few minutes ago?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want to be single for the rest of my life. Just that I can, if I have to."

* * *

Bonnie wasn't hiding. Rockwallers didn't do that. She had simply moved her regular workout at the gym up a few days, and hadn't bothered to tell anyone...which basically meant she hadn't told Tara.

She definitely wasn't hiding from Tara, because that would've been silly. Tara was sweet, kind, forgiving to a fault, and the most loyal person Bonnie had in her life at the moment (ever, really). If anything, Bonnie probably should've been hiding from Ron to avoid being tempted to do something stupid and/or crazy.

But then, Ron had never walked in on her at the gym. Tara had. By the time Bonnie admitted that to herself, she'd already been on the treadmill for forty-five minutes, and she didn't like to stop once she'd started. Plus, the more time she spent at the gym, the less chance she had of running into Tara elsewhere.

Or so she hoped, anyway.

Yet when Bonnie had finished, finding herself exhausted and sweaty, who should appear but her wonderful best friend, smiling as if all was right with the world.

"I hoped you weren't running away, but I guess I was only half right," Tara observed. When Bonnie didn't answer, she held out a bottle of water. "You can't ignore me, Bonnie. I'm your conscience by now, no matter how hard you try not to listen to me."

That only annoyed Bonnie more, mostly because it was true. But she wasn't going to admit that, even as she snatched the water and began chugging it down.

"So I got a call from Ron," Tara said casually, watching Bonnie's expression for any change. When there was none, she continued with, "He wants us to go out Thursday." Still nothing. "He said you should come, too."

At this, Bonnie stopped drinking and looked at Tara, her expression guarded and not the least bit hopeful.

"I told him I'd ask you and get back to him. And if you say no, I'm not making anything up. You're going to have to call him yourself and tell him why you're not coming."

Bonnie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll tell him I don't want to go."

"That's a lie," Tara said at once.

"So? You said YOU weren't going to make anything up, not me."

"But I want you to go, Bonnie. So does Ron."

"No, he doesn't!" Bonnie snapped. "He only asked me so I wouldn't feel left out and so you wouldn't get mad at him for leaving me out!"

"The point is that he asked you."

"No, the point is I DON'T WANT TO GO!"

"Liar," Tara said quietly.

"What do you WANT me to say, T? That I like your boyfriend and I want to spend time with him?"

"If it's the truth, then yes."

"Well, I'm not going to!"

"Why not?"

"Because I like YOU, stupid!" Bonnie shouted.

Tara just stared at her.

"Don't look at me like that!"

"So what are you saying, Bonnie? That you're going to deny your feelings because Ron is my boyfriend?"

"YES! That's what GOOD friends do."

"They also sometimes repress the feelings for so long that they just spill out, anyway. And then it's as if they never tried at all."

"So stop forcing me to be near Ron!" Bonnie cried. "I'm trying to keep myself from hurting you!"

"But what good is that if it hurts you to be away from him?" Tara asked.

"It doesn't matter. I'm not going to lose my best friend over a guy."

"But Ron isn't just a guy, Bonnie. That's why I like him...and why you can't stay away from him, even when you try. For all you know, maybe just being near him would be enough for you. Maybe all you really need is his friendship."

"When have I EVER needed just a guy's friendship?" Bonnie muttered.

"Never...until now. It wasn't until you spent time with Ron that you saw him for who he really was. And now you can't get that person out of your mind, no matter what you do."

"And you really believe that I'm feeling this way because I want Ron to be my friend?"

"Not really, but you never know. So I want you to promise me something, Bonnie. If you truly think you'll be miserable without Ron in your life, you need to tell him. Or tell me so I can tell him. Promise me you'll tell one of us, at least."

Bonnie stared at her best friend for a long moment. Finally, she shook her head. "You're crazy, T. You really are."

Tara took a deep breath, stared hard at Bonnie, and said calmly, "Promise me, or this friendship is over."

Bonnie nearly choked on the mouthful of water, forcing it down with a gasp she looked at Tara. "What?" she whispered hoarsely.

"Either you promise to tell Ron or myself, or this is it for us."

Bonnie looked as if she couldn't breathe. "Tara...no. You can't. You promised me you wouldn't..."

"I promised I'd never leave you if you promised the same. But denying your heart is just like not being alive at all, Bonnie. In some ways, it's even worse than leaving. So promise me, here and now, that you won't do either."

Bonnie shook her head helplessly. "Tara...I can't-"

Tara took a step backwards.

"NO! Tara, PLEASE!" Bonnie cried.

"Promise," Tara said firmly.

"I...I promise," Bonnie choked out.

Tara sighed and stepped forward. "Congratulations, Bonnie. You've passed Step 2."

"I...what?" Bonnie asked weakly.

"Step 1 was admitting you had the feelings. Step 2 was refusing to ignore them. Step 3 is finding out exactly what the feelings are. You're making progress."

"How?" Bonnie asked bitterly. "You were going to leave me..."

"Only because you're so stubborn, Bonnie. If you could be true to yourself, I never would've had to do that. So you're going to call Ron, and tell him you'll be there."

"If I don't, will you leave?" Bonnie asked softly.

"No. But I'll be very disappointed in you, and I'd rather not be when there's an easy way to avoid it. Just come with us tomorrow, and if you can make it the whole night without lying to yourself, I'll never force you to be near Ron again."

"Okay," Bonnie whispered. "I'll go."

Tara reached over and squeezed her hand. "Thanks." She began to let go, but Bonnie's hand seized hers.

"Tara," Bonnie said quietly, her voice trembling.

"What is it, Bonnie?"

"Don't ever do that to me again. Even if you mean it, just don't. No matter what. I couldn't...I can't...go through that. So don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't...leave."

"I won't leave you unless you force me to, Bonnie. That was our promise. Not word for word, but it was the sentiment behind it for me. I expect you to hold up your end."

"But I can't do that without you, T. You know that. Everything else in my life makes me crazy. Kim, Ron, school, my family, everything. You're the only thing in my life that makes sense. If you left, I'm scared I might fall apart again."

"I wouldn't let that happen, Bonnie. But you have to meet me halfway. This won't work unless we're both trying all of the time. So no more lying, to me, to you, or to anyone else you might care about. Now, why don't you grab a shower, and then we can get something to eat."

Bonnie didn't reply as she pulled Tara close and hugged her tightly.

Tara was a little startled. "Um, I'll be here when you're done, Bonnie. Promise."

"You scared me," Bonnie murmured in her ear.

Tara smiled and returned the embrace. "Well, when I can't get through to your head, I have to try for your heart."

"It worked, T. I heard you."

"Good. Now, um, you know normally I don't mind hugging you, but you're all sweaty, so..."

"So? Now it's my turn to make YOU sweat," Bonnie replied, hugging her tighter.

"Ewww!" Tara squealed, struggling and laughing at the same time. "Bonnie, let go!"

Bonnie could almost hear her mood shifting as she stared into her best friend's face. She wasn't sure if she'd ever been so scared before, not even the few times in which she'd feared for her life. And now that she could hear and see Tara laughing and smiling, all the panic she'd just experienced was little more than a hazy memory. They were both just so relieved, and before Bonnie knew what she was doing, her lips were moving.

"I love you so much, T."

At first, Bonnie was certain she'd said it so quietly that Tara hadn't heard her. But then the laughter broke off abruptly, the smile faded, and Tara was just staring at her, mouth slightly open and face frozen in shock.

Finally, Tara blinked, and a smile slowly spread across her face. "I know," she whispered. "I just never thought I'd hear you say it."

They stared at each other a moment longer before Bonnie blushed and looked away. "I, uh, need to shower," she muttered.

"I'll be here when you get back," Tara replied.

Bonnie started to walk past her.

"And I'll still know you love me when you get back, too."

Bonnie lowered her head and quickened her pace, even though she could somehow feel Tara's smile on the back of her neck like a bad itch the whole time.

* * *

Kim carefully reviewed the facts as she knew them.

There was...something between Ron and Bonnie. An attraction of some sort that Bonnie, at least, hadn't picked up on until recently. Ron was upset about the kiss, but she suspected that was more because he was to supposed to be upset, not because he actually was. It didn't matter so much to Ron that it had been Bonnie (and to Kim it should have), just that it endangered his relationship with Tara on several levels.

For whatever reason, Tara didn't seem to be taking all that much action to keep from losing Ron...or Bonnie, for that matter. She seemed confident that Ron would stay loyal, and so would Bonnie. Kim would've felt sorry for her, if she weren't so convinced that Tara and Ron weren't going to work out, anyway. Ron would need someone strong, capable and willing to fight to keep him. As nice as Tara was...well, that was EXACTLY why she wouldn't do. The sad part was that Kim didn't even have to do anything there, Bonnie would see to it that they didn't last.

Kim's only immedate goal, then, became keeping Bonnie away from Ron, and vice versa. Ron she could probably bully into keeping his distance, but Bonnie was another matter entirely. Bonnie was proving a lot more resistant, aided largely by her newfound superhuman (of that Kim was fairly certain) strength. While Bonnie seemed only capable of using said strength in short bursts, it was still something to be wary of, even with Kim's recent...improvement.

Ron was the one to focus on. Kim still had some sway with him, though it weakened with every encounter he had with Bonnie. It was best to lean on him now, and to only deal with Bonnie if she insisted on getting in the way. With any luck, she could hold his attention long enough that Bonnie would lose interest on her own. Unlikely, but something to keep in mind.

Fortunately, Kim had figured out just what would grab and hold Ron's attention for as long as she needed.

So when Ron cautiously stuck his head in her room, Kim knew just what to say.

"Hey, Ron. I decided to go to the dance with Josh Mankey. Help me pick out something to wear?"

* * *

Next Chapter: Tensions flare all around as Josh is added to the outing at the last minute, and Bonnie seems to be the only one without a date.

Reviews!

Alan Wilkinson: What Monkey Fist did to Kim is a great deal like what he did to Ron, but the effects are going to differ, since Kim didn't start out with Mystical Monkey Power.

Kitsune6: Actually, it's Monkey Fist causing the changes in Kim, so maybe you SHOULD hate him.

dlord26: I was afraid the Shego scene would be confusing. The idea was for Ron to look at kiss from Bonnie's point of view, in order to figure out why she reacted the way she did. It didn't work with Monkey Fist because Bonnie's intended target (Ron) was of the opposite gender. Only when he replaced Monkey Fist with Shego did Ron understand that Bonnie was actually attracted to him (and it's not entirely impossible that he was drawing at least some of that Shego scene from memory). I have no definite plans to include Shego further now, but I'd be lying if I said it was the first such request I'd gotten.

ManiacPolarBear: I didn't do a very good job of making it clear, but part of Ron's attraction to Bonnie is actually inspired by Pak. Though, the rest is mostly treacherous hormones (and Bonnie's cheerleader hotness). He is a teenager, after all. And yes, I remember that Ren and Stimpy scream(s).

Shkspr1048: Capturing Monkey Fist definitely changed something deep inside Ron. Whether it's "wrong" is debatable; there are some benefits to having Pak around. But as of this point, Kim is definitely missing some things, but this is due more to the change in HER perception.

Zaratan: I didn't take pheromones into account. Looking back it might make more sense, but I didn't want them to weigh too heavily here. Every attraction in the story is based on something more than just physical attraction (except maybe Pak's, but Ron would be attracted to the same girls regardless, though not as much). I'd feel weird having Pak consciously use pheromones, because logically he'd only know how to attract female monkeys, he shouldn't know how to attract teenage girls (yet, anyway)...unless of course said girls had also been exposed to Mystical Monkey Power (or something comparable), then Pak could relate somewhat. But since Tara is "normal" Pak doesn't quite know what to do with her, and she's attracted more to things about Ron that Pak doesn't control. On the other hand, Bonnie and Ron have secrets in common, and Ron's recent improvements have made him even more attractive to her.

Classic Cowboy: I don't want to mislead you. In THIS story, Kim is a virgin. My point was simply that she's had opportunity. She's on the road every week. Granted it's usually with Ron (which really just means he's the most likely candidate), but I imagine every now and then Kim takes on a job alone (Ron has to at least get sick, at most share Kim's more common injuries). And, excluding her work life, she's a teenager, and if there's a way, either the girl or guy will find it (ANYTHING's possible for a Possible...okay, bad joke). You brought up a good point: as far as WE know. Seriously, it's Disney, if Kim had sex we STILL wouldn't know it, which makes it all the easier for her to get away with! Kidding, really.


	10. Scenes from a Mall

Chapter 10: Scenes From A Mall

Tensions flare all around as Josh is added to the outing at the last minute, and Bonnie seems to be the only one without a date.

Things were not going well for Ron. More accurately, only two things weren't going well for Ron, and yet they seemed to overshadow every aspect of his life.

First, there was Bonnie's continued interest in toying with him. At least, Ron assumed she was toying with him, because she never did much more than flirt shamelessly whenever they happened to be alone, which seemed to occur a lot more often than ever before. Perhaps the only good thing about that was that Bonnie picked her spots, and so Tara never accidentally heard or saw these little moments. For his part, Ron just ran away whenever he could manage, but it was getting harder to do so. With every new encounter, there was an almost instinctive urge NOT to run, but to stay right there and find out just what Bonnie was planning.

Second, there was Kim's sudden, renewed interest in Josh Mankey. Even if Ron hadn't been with Tara, this would've upset him, but now that he was, he couldn't offer a word of protest. He had tried, only once, to point out that this could be a master plan by Monkey Fist: getting Kim to drop her guard so that Josh could take advantage of her. But Kim had merely brushed him off as being jealous, and was quick to point out that Ron should be focusing on his own relationship troubles. Pak wasn't crazy about Josh, either...but only because he still wasn't convinced that Kim was just a clanmate. Worse yet, Kim kept rubbing the fact that she was with Josh in Ron's face, knowing what it would do to him.

By the time Thursday came around, Ron was in no mood to go anywhere. But he'd gone to the trouble of inviting everyone, so technically it was his idea, and if he bailed out, Tara might take it the wrong way (she'd seemed so excited that he'd invited Bonnie, too). Zita and Felix probably wouldn't care either way, and Kim and Josh definitely wouldn't...which was all the more reason to go and spread his gloomy mood.

So on Thursday afternoon, Ron found himself squeezed into a van with Kim, Zita, and Felix, along with Felix's mother, who driving them to the mall. Just as Zita had predicted, she and Felix clicked at once, and hadn't stopped comparing gaming knowledge the entire trip. Kim and Ron said nothing to each other, but Kim kept giving him knowing looks that only served to keep him in a foul mood.

Dr. Renton dropped them off in front of the mall, and instructed them to call her when they were ready to be picked up. And while she didn't say anything more, she caught Ron's eye and shifted her gaze to Kim, as if to say, "Talk to her, she's your friend," right before she drove off. Ron honestly tried to, but Kim would instantly bring up Josh, and Ron had to bite his lip several times to keep from screaming.

They met up with Josh, Tara, and Bonnie in the food court. Strangely, while Josh and Tara had been chatting, Bonnie stood off to the side, looking as if she'd rather be anywhere else. Her mood only worsened when she noticed that Kim had come, too, but amazingly, Bonnie kept her mouth shut.

Kim, on the other hand, when she wasn't focused on Josh, kept directing snide little remarks at Bonnie. But Bonnie never responded in kind, or at all, for that matter. It was almost as if the two girls had switched bodies, and idea that bothered Ron a great deal. It was one thing for him to be attracted to Bonnie, but it was quite another to like her more than he currently did Kim.

Since they were already in the food court (and he couldn't think of a better way to shut Kim up for a few minutes), Ron suggested they get something to eat before going anywhere else. They more or less agreed on pizza (Bonnie offered no opinion at all, and Kim probably would've disagreed just to spite her). Felix and Josh offered to place the orders and bring back the food, which left Ron with a very uneasy situation on his hands. Without Josh to occupy her, Kim focused on Bonnie again. Zita and Tara had been making small talk, but it was clear that Tara was paying less attention to Zita and more to Bonnie, who despite a noble effort was about two minutes away from exploding.

Ron was still trying to think of a way to sort things out when Bonnie abruptly stood up and walked off without a word to anyone. After a long pause, Tara rose to go after her, but Zita offered to make sure Bonnie was okay and quickly excused herself. As it turned out, Bonnie wasn't the only one who'd had it with Kim's attitude.

"Look, Kim," Ron said quietly, "I know you don't like Bonnie, especially after what happened between us, but she's still Tara's friend, and this is where I draw the line. Either you apologize when Bonnie comes back, or you and your new boyfriend can go annoy someone else. And while you're at it, you can find yourself a new best friend."

Kim looked at Ron for a moment, smirked, and replied, "Fine. See you at the dance, then." With that, she stood up and went to collect Josh.

"Ron," Tara said softly. "Maybe you should-"

"I don't think Bonnie is going to be in any mood to hang out anymore,"

Ron interrupted. "Maybe you should just take her home, Tara. And tell her thanks for keeping her cool for as long as she did."

"Actually," Tara replied, "I think it would mean a lot more to Bonnie if YOU told her that, Ron."

* * *

"I was wrong about you, Bonnie. About Kim, too, apparently."

Bonnie glanced up into the restroom mirror, slightly surprised to find Zita's reflection there. "It's just an off night. She'll probably be back to being Miss Goody Two Shoes tomorrow, and no one will ever know how nasty she can be. Except me, of course, but no one would believe me."

"After what I saw, I would. I'm sorry you had to put up with that." Zita paused. "So...why did you put up with that? I'd always heard you were the no-nonsense type."

"People are supposed to do crazy things when they're in love. Me, I just do them for my only real friend."

"She's someone you just can't say no to?"

Bonnie shrugged. "You can, if you don't mind feeling horrible afterwards. I do."

"What was so important to her about tonight?"

"She's got this crazy idea that I need to be friends with Ron."

"Well, he IS dating your best friend."

"No, it's got nothing to do with that. She wants us to be friends regardless."

"He's not that bad, you know. A little goofy at times, weird at others, but you'll have a tough time finding a better friend. I mean, he can't be all bad. Tara likes him, doesn't she?"

Bonnie snorted. "Tara likes Kim, too."

"Hey, I used to like Kim until tonight. Nobody's perfect. But you shouldn't punish Ron because of that. He asked you to come, didn't he? You don't really think he did that just so Kim could badmouth you?"

It didn't sound at all like something Ron would knowingly do, and Bonnie knew it. For all the times she had badmouthed Ron, he hardly ever said anything negative back to her. She'd always assumed he was either too chicken or too slow on the comebacks. Maybe he just hadn't wanted to hurt her the way she'd hurt him.

"Well, if you ever get tired of having just one girlfriend, give me a call," Zita said as she turned to leave.

"I don't have your number," Bonnie realized.

Zita grinned. "Ask Ron for it."

Bonnie frowned as the door closed. "Just great..."

* * *

Bonnie returned to the table a few minutes after Zita did, her mood somewhat improved, but not to the point where she was willing to continue the outing, even with Kim and Josh gone. She claimed to be tired, and Ron had no doubt that she was...of Kim, anyway.

As Tara suggested, he made sure to thank her for enduring Kim's insults, and was rewarded with a small smile...and nothing else, thankfully. Though he was a little surprised when Bonnie muttered a request for Zita's number under her breath. And yet he was not at all surprised when Felix asked the same later on.

What remained of the group parted ways after the pizza was gone, and Ron's earlier defense of Bonnie earned him a kiss on the cheek...from Tara. She hadn't told Bonnie yet, and Ron couldn't help fearing that Bonnie's thanks might be a bit more enthusiastic, if she managed to catch him alone.

The ride home seemed especially long to Ron. He wasn't sure what he would do, now that he and Kim weren't best friends anymore. They'd had big fights before, and while Kim could be stubborn, she had never seemed so unreasonable. While he had no idea what had gotten into her, Ron hoped that it passed soon. The Possibles were like a second family to him, and he couldn't imagine not seeing them as much. He was pretty sure Mrs. Dr. Possible would still welcome him, even if he and Kim weren't speaking, but Mr. Dr. Possible could be overprotective of his daughter.

Ron's thoughts were interrupted by Dr. Renton, who asked why Kim hadn't come back with them. Ron quickly mentioned that she'd found her own way home, knowing full well that he didn't care if Kim got home or not. She would probably just call in a favor and ride home in a top secret jet or something infinitely cooler, just to impress pretty boy Josh.

By the time Dr. Renton had reached the Stoppable home, Ron had had a chance to cool off. He wasn't quite as angry at Kim anymore, but he was convinced that he wouldn't even speak to her until she apologized to Bonnie. If she didn't, well...there had to be at least one other person on the planet looking for a new best friend, too.

Ron climbed out of the van, and got a pleasant surprise when Zita hopped out as well.

"I know we're not 'dating' or anything," Zita said, "but I hear you're in the market for a new best friend, so if you get the urge to promote me, I'm up for it. Just thought I'd mention that."

Ron smiled. "Thanks, Z. I'll let you know."

Zita stepped forward and gave him a big hug. "Don't worry, Ron. Either you'll get over her, or she'll come to her senses. It'll work out somehow."

Ron desperately wanted to believe her, but he wasn't so sure. He still had Tara, Zita, Felix, Rufus, maybe Monique, and to an extent, Bonnie, but the fact remained that he'd just lost his best friend. Even though he felt justified about the circumstances, it hurt more than he would've expected. It was hard to picture what his life would be like without Kim in it. He couldn't even stand to be near her anymore.

It didn't occur to Ron until he reached his bedroom that Kim had lost something, too, and not just a best friend. The next time she went out to save the world, she'd be doing it all alone.

* * *

Next Chapter: Even though he is now an ex-member of Team Possible, Ron soon finds out that the bad guys didn't get the memo. 


	11. Super Ninja Monkey Team Hyper Squad GO!

Note: My most creative title yet. For those of you who wondered about the connection between Pak and Kim's new 'tude, pay close attention.

Chapter 11: Super Ninja Monkey Team Hyper Squad GO!

Friday had passed in something of a blur for Ron. About the only thing that emerged from the haze in striking clarity was the moment when he'd passed Bonnie in the hallway. Oddly enough, she hadn't really done anything at all. At least, she didn't do any of the things she'd been doing as of late to him: kissing, touching, teasing, etc. Instead, she'd given him a look of longing so intense that Ron nearly ran face first into a locker. By the time he'd regained his senses, Bonnie had passed him by and was walking away rather quickly with her head down, as if she was ashamed of herself.

Ron wasn't sure whether he should consider that progress or not, or even if he should've told Tara about the encounter, if it even was one. Technically, Bonnie hadn't done anything threatening; in fact it was one of the least threatening things she'd done since he'd started dating Tara. So long as she limited herself to looking without touching, Ron figured there was no real need to complain about it. This was Bonnie, after all, so he was lucky she'd even bothered to do that much.

All things considered, Bonnie's back off was just what Ron needed. He still hadn't gotten over Kim's decision to break off their friendship, although he'd stopped feeling guilty. It had been her choice, and he'd only given her the ultimatum to bring her to her senses. He never would've imagined that she might choose the second option. But if their years of friendship meant so little to her, maybe ending it now was for the best.

Besides, Ron had other friends. It was just a matter of focusing on one of them so he wouldn't start to think about how much he missed Kim (the old one, anyway). Of course, Ron was assuming that he would select the aforementioned friend to replace Kim. That one of them would simply step forward and demand such recognition had never occurred to him.

And certainly not at 6 AM on a Saturday morning, either.

But then waking up to MC Honey's "All Up In My Grill" blasting your eardrums might make anyone feel a bit unfriendly.

As it turned out, Ron would be less disturbed by the music, and more upset by the fact that Zita Flores was in his room when he was in a less than full state of dress. Actually, Ron's parents would probably be even more upset, but he would at least have to appear somewhat upset to avoid being grounded for the rest of his natural life. And he was...about being near naked with a girl present. Not so much about the girl being Zita. But that was another matter to be discussed later.

Presently, Ron sat up, clutching his sheets tightly to his chest as Zita continued to do jumping jacks. Any other time, he might've been tempted to admire certain parts of her body as they bounced in time to the music. However, he was too preoccupied with what his mother might say when she came to investigate the suspiciously loud thumping originating from his room. Finding Zita there would only make things worse.

"Z, you do know this isn't your room, right?" Ron shouted over the music.

Zita stopped bouncing and reached over to turn down the stereo. "Morning, Ron. I had a great idea."

"And you couldn't just call?"

She grinned. "I like to express my ideas in person. Makes it harder for people to say no. Anyway, I thought we'd work out together today. So get up and let's go."

"Um, Z? There's something I never told you about my sleeping habits."

"What, you sleep naked?" Zita guessed.

"Not totally, but enough that I don't want you looking."

Zita smiled. "Ron, I've seen a guy undressed before, and he was probably a lot more impressive. I won't go mad with lust at the mere sight of you."

"Why does the sight of me have to be mere?" Ron demanded, his cheeks reddening.

"Because I'm trying to trick you into a false sense of security, dummy. Now are you getting out of bed, or do I have to poke you with a sharp stick?"

"Promise you won't look?"

Zita chuckled. "No, but I promise I won't jump you. That's all you get."

Ron grumbled and tried to drape a blanket over him as he left the bed, but Zita snatched the blanket away and whistled loudly as he scrambled for the closet. "That was totally immature, Z!" he shouted once he was safely hidden.

"Yeah, but as with most immature things, it was also fun. For me, that is. And I did keep my promise, didn't I?"

"That's not the point!"

"Ron, chill. I bet I haven't seen anything that Kim hasn't on those missions where you lost your pants. Right?"

Ron swallowed hard, and he could feel Zita's eyes on him as he answered. "Right."

Zita rolled her eyes. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm giving you a chance to see me soaked in sweat, breathing hard, and exhausted...from working out. Now throw on some sweats and let's get busy!"

"I really hope you're not going to use phrases like 'get busy' in front of my parents."

"Oh, they were up when I got here. Something about a monkey screeching around 3 AM. Incidentally, they loved the idea of me punishing you with a couple of hours of exercise. So move your cute butt, Stoppable."

"Okay, I...did you just say my butt was cute?"

"You have a problem with that?" Zita asked with a smirk.

"Something tells me I should, but..."

"You know, for someone who owns a fairly intelligent naked mole rat, you sure do have major issues about your own naked body."

"Well, Rufus is the flashy type. And he doesn't really have a choice, does he? If he had issues with being naked, he'd never be happy."

"And if you have issues with being naked, you better get used to being alone with Rufus, because telling a girl you can't be naked around her is usually a big turn-off, from what I understand."

Ron stuck his head out of the closet. "Yeah, but I'm not trying to date you, so there's no reason I need to be comfortable with my nudity around you, is there?"

Zita shrugged. "On the off chance that we happen to be caught in a vicious storm at sea, and all our clothes get ripped off, it'd be nice to know you can go three seconds without freaking out. About nudity, anyway."

Ron emerged from the closet in an old sweat suit. "Why don't we just cut to the chase here, Z? Are you planning to see me naked on a regular basis or not?"

"I dunno, Ron. If you REALLY wanted to show me, curiosity would beat out common sense. But I don't have any plans, if that's what you mean."

"Good."

"Of course if it DID ever happen, wouldn't it be great if you were in better shape? All the more reason for us to get to the exercise. So as I was saying, move your cute butt."

"No offense, but could you please stop appreciating my body?"

"Ron, I'm not in the habit of lying for no reason. And you know I like you, we used to kinda sorta date, remember?"

"Okay, but the verbal groping is a bit much."

"You told me Bonnie's been hitting on you. Are you saying what I've said today is so much worse than what she's been saying?"

Ron thought about it, and turned bright red. "Good point."

"I might tease you, but I'm not going to follow up, so they're not threats. The worst I might ever do is swat you on the butt."

Ron shielded his bottom with his hands. "Why would you do that?" he demanded.

Zita shrugged. "Guys do it in sports."

"I don't play sports!"

"Then I'll just do it when I see you slowing down today. Good incentive to keep going, right?"

"Sure, getting groped always makes me want to be all I can be," Ron replied sarcastically.

"Well, that IS the idea..."

Ron gaped at her. "Zita!"

"I'm kidding! But I AM going to swat you if you slow down. So just don't slow down and you'll be fine."

* * *

Bonnie winced slightly as yet around round of high-pitched screams of delight assaulted her ears, and tried to remember when this had sounded like a good idea.

It was probably back when Tara had decided she needed to be rewarded for her good behavior in Kim's presence. Although, since Ron and Kim were apparently no longer friends, Bonnie had dropped any pretense she may have had about being civil. In fact, she was rather surprised to admit that a great deal of her anger at Kim was BECAUSE the redhead had ditched Ron.

At any rate, Tara had dragged Bonnie to the nearest amusement park, claiming they would have a great time, and that Bonnie would be able to vent through some healthy screams. The problem was that Bonnie had outgrown so many of the attractions, so she'd only screamed once, and only then because Tara had grabbed her inside the haunted house. Tara had sworn that she was only grabbing her best friend instinctively for comfort, and that she hadn't been trying to scare Bonnie at all, but it had taken a full ten minutes of begging before Bonnie had forgiven her.

Now, Bonnie was seated on a bench while Tara bought yet another giant puff of cotton candy. It had to be her third one today, but Tara had always been cursed with a major sweet tooth. Generally, that meant she had to work off the calories a lot more and a lot longer than Bonnie did. Still, because Bonnie was in such good shape anyway, and there were so few people she'd rather spend time with, they usually worked out together for the same length of time. Tara had been enjoying their time together a lot more as of late. Bonnie had, too, partially because she hoped more exposure to Tara would decrease any feelings she might have for Ron. If nothing else, it would make her more loyal to Tara, and even less likely to do something that would hurt her. No matter how hard Tara seemed to be pushing her to do just that.

Naturally, Tara was in a very good mood when she returned, as she almost always was once she'd gotten some sugar in her. "What should we do next?" she asked between mouthfuls of cotton candy.

"I think I've had enough 'fun' for today, T," Bonnie replied. "I'd rather just go home."

Instead of being upset, Tara merely held out the untouched side of her cotton candy. "Only if you have a big bite."

She knew it was pointless to argue, so Bonnie just got it over with and tried not to cringe too much as the puff melted in her mouth.

"Now we can go," Tara said pleasantly, looping her arm through Bonnie's.

The close contact actually bothered Bonnie a little, not because Tara had a boyfriend, but because Bonnie still hadn't figured out her feelings for said boyfriend. She couldn't help wondering if Tara would still be so affectionate when she finally did.

* * *

_"Zita...not mate?"_

"Right," Ron explained. "Another clanmate."

Pak considered that for a moment. _"Bossy for clanmate,"_ he decided at last.

"Yeah, well...she's got special status. Former, uh...mate, I guess you'd call her. So she can get away with things that other clanmates can't. Like dragging me out of my bed and attempting to give me a heat stroke."

Pak offered no reply as he sifted through Ron's mind, searching for an adequate way to express his next question. Meanwhile, Ron sighed and tried to catch his breath as Zita continued stretching beside him. For someone who had never saved the world, Zita seemed to be full of energy, and had only broken a mild sweat so far. Ron, on the other hand, hadn't felt this worn out since...well, since he'd been a member of Team Possible.

Suddenly, he had a sinking feeling that Zita was trying to replace Kim in more ways than one. But before he could question her about it, Pak had found a way to effectively stump Ron with his next question.

_"Ron...love Zita?"_

Ron blinked slowly, and risked another long look at his friend. Honestly, the word didn't seem to do their connection justice anymore. Zita was a friend, and yet, she was much more. They weren't dating, but there was so much...passion between them, if not for each other, then at least for being together. With Kim, life had just been routine (even the unexpected surprises had become normal). With Zita, everything was new and exciting. Though, he probably could never tell her that, for fear that she'd take it the wrong way. Ron liked Zita a great deal, and he didn't want to do anything that might make her leave. At the moment, the thought of losing Zita's friendship carried much more weight than losing Kim's had.

"Yeah, buddy. Ron definitely love Zita. Just don't ask me how much."

Zita looked up to find Ron staring at her. "You ready to go?"

"Why are you doing this?" Ron asked.

"What? Stretching? I told you, it keeps you loose."

"No. It's almost like you're trying to keep me in world-saving shape or something."

Zita closed her eyes. "Ron, I know you and Kim aren't friends anymore, okay? But say she called you right now, and we know she wouldn't do that unless she had no choice. But if she did, would you go?"

"Yeah," Ron admitted. "Friends or not, she is up against people that can actually take over the world. If I didn't help, it'd be my fault that they won."

"So you can't get out of practice just because you're out of Team Possible. And, you know, if you ever needed backup, I could be your sidekick."

"Um, I appreciate the offer, but this stuff gets pretty dangerous."

"And you expect me to just let you walk into it by yourself?" Zita asked in disbelief.

"Well...I guess not, but that's not what I-"

"Ron, this isn't debatable. I don't want you playing the hero by yourself. I know you've got experience, but mostly you got it as part of a two-person team. So if you're not taking me, you'd better be taking someone that is at least approaching Kim's level."

Ron opened his mouth, possibly to disagree, but then he allowed himself to really think about it. "You're right. I can't do this alone."

"Right. So if you've got someone in mind, maybe we should invite them to train with us, too."

"I...just might. I just have to convince them that it's a good idea first."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to rethink this, Kimmie?" Mrs. Dr. Possible asked. "I'm positive you can work past whatever disagreement you and Ron had if you just try. You've been friends too long for it to end like this."

"It's just not working for me anymore, Mom," Kim said firmly. "I've outgrown him."

Unknown to the two Possible women, their every word was being picked up by two well-honed pairs of ears.

"Can you believe her?" Tim asked, narrowing his eyes. "She's cutting off Ron!"

"She can't do that!" Jim insisted. "He's our friend, too!"

"Not to mention Rufus!" Tim was quick to add.

Jim nodded. "No way Kim's big butt could fit into cramped spaces like him."

"So what do we do?"

"Easy. Time to begin Operation: Ron Retrieval. We'll ruin all of Kim's normal activities until she has no choice but to take Ron back."

The twins grinned merrily at each other, and were just about to high-five when each found themselves shoved violently to the ground, both their throats pinned in an instant.

"Nice try, tweebs," Kim growled, loud enough to be threatening, but apparently quiet enough that their mother hadn't heard. "You do ANYTHING to get in my way, and you won't live to regret it." She increased the pressure of the throats of her younger brothers until they whimpered in pain. "Do we understand each other?"

There was no way the boys could reply verbally, so they nodded as best they could under the circumstances.

"Don't even think of running to Mom," Kim added with a smirk. "She'd never believe I was capable of this. That's what makes it all so perfect. No one would."

When Kim finally let the twins go, they scrambled to their feet and ran into their bedroom, where they quickly locked the door and pushed a bookcase in front of it.

It was several moments before either twin regained the ability to talk.

"That...that wasn't Kim," Tim stammered at last. "That wasn't...our sister. She's threatened us before, even hit us, but...I couldn't breathe, Jim. I couldn't-"

"Her eyes were red," Jim said in a rush. "Did you see? They were RED."

"You were probably hallucinating from lack of oxygen-"

"They were RED!" Jim cried, whirling on his brother. "Red and GLOWING! I know what I saw, Tim!"

"But...that's not-"

"It's not Kim's fault. She would never DO things like this. She wouldn't break up with Ron OR choke us. Something is really wrong with her. We have to do something before she really hurts somebody."

"But what?" Tim asked. "We can't tell Mom or Dad."

"We have to get into Kim's room while she's sleeping."

For a moment, Tim merely stared at his brother. Then something in his brain clicked. "The Kimmunicator won't be on her then. We can warn Wade!" Then his face fell. "But how many times have we actually gotten past her while she was sleeping?"

"We don't have a choice this time, Tim. If we don't...I don't want to think about what Kim might do, to someone else, or herself."

* * *

"Can we PLEASE stop jogging now, Z?"

"Don't make me swat you, Ron."

"You know, if that's the only thing keeping us from stopping, I will gladly drop my pants here and now. Just tell me where you want my cute butt."

Zita rolled her eyes and slowed to a stop. "Fine, you big baby. I guess that's enough for now."

"You meant for today? Didn't you?" Ron pleaded, still panting as he leaned against a tree.

Zita just looked at him.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you did say you liked me, right? So why all the punishment?"

"Hey, at least I've giving you breaks. Evil doesn't do that."

"Exactly what I was thinking!" a voice snarled.

"Z, look out!" Ron shouted, tackling Zita into the grass as the tree seemed to explode right above their heads.

"Ooh, nice save, sidekick," Shego commented as she strolled towards them. The fact that her hands were glowing bright green, however, was a clear sign that she was here on business.

"Can't you ever take a day off at the same time that we do?" Ron complained.

"Are you kidding, Stoppable? That'd be downright convenient of me. Not to mention COMPLETELY out of character."

"Never hurts to ask," Ron reasoned.

"Actually, I think you're wrong there, too," Shego sneered as she charged at him.

Ron hesitated, not because he was afraid of Shego (well, not totally), but because if he moved, that would still leave Zita in Shego's path. And by the time he consciously made that decision, it was too late to move very much, anyway. He just barely managed to twist and backpedal, and even then Shego's flaming claws tore off a decent-sized piece of the front of his sweatshirt. But there was no time to worry about that as Shego leaped into the air, easily clearing Ron's height, and brought her hands forward to unleash twin volleys of plasma.

But she never got the chance, as a small rock caught her on the chin. It didn't hurt Shego so much as it surprised her, and she actually landed in front of Ron, cupping her chin and staring at the fallen rock in confusion.

Ron probably would've done the same, if Zita hadn't grabbed his arm and started running. Ron's feet took the hint and followed suit, even as the ground beneath them regularly exploded after being hit by a plasma blast.

"Z, we can't outrun her for long!"

"From the way you're running, I'm guessing you don't exactly hold many wins over her?"

"That's more Kim's department; I'm strictly a distraction man!"

"I don't suppose you've mastered the art of distracting while running away?"

"Would you believe it doesn't really come up that much? It's usually one or the other, or a distraction followed by running away, but almost never at the same time!"

"So when it DOES come up, what do you do?" Zita demanded.

"Pretty much what we're doing now," Ron replied.

"Oh, that's just WONDERFUL, Ron!"

"Hey, you're the one that wanted in on the world-saving business!"

"Well, I can't really tell since I'm running for my life at the moment, but I think she's less concerned with taking over the world, and more concerned with taking us out!"

"More than likely she's only doing that so taking over the world will be easier. Shego's smart like that."

Zita didn't look too reassured. "If she's that smart, how long before she stops aiming at our feet?"

Before Ron could open his mouth to answer, he took a plasma blast to the back. Thankfully, the sweatsuit took most of the damage (which meant Shego hadn't been aiming to kill...yet), but at the same time, he could tell there was some back hair that would never grow back quite the same.

Ron rolled onto his back, only to stare up into Shego's grinning face.

"Any last words, Stoppable?"

"Just three, and they're a bit clichéd, I know. But, when in Rome..." Ron took a deep breath, and then shouted at the top of his lungs, "MONKEY NINJAS ATTACK!"

Shego almost laughed. Almost. But the laughter died in her throat as the wind changed, and she suddenly found herself completely surrounded by small, but still very dangerous, monkeys in ninja garb. She glanced around the circle of black and brown for a few seconds, and disbelief settled into her features again.

"Well, that's new. Sort of."

* * *

The guard checked his watch, sighed, and turned around to perform his mandatory hourly check on the prisoner.

Naturally, the situation remained unchanged, as it had for the past few days since the guard had been reassigned here. The prisoner was seated on the floor in the center of the cell, eyes closed, and legs folded beneath him, his very furry hands resting lightly on his knees.

There were, as the guard was had been told many times, special circumstances surrounding this prisoner. He was not allowed the usual furnishings, for fear of what he might do with them. His cell was to remain bare at all times. Even the standard issue shirt, which he'd discarded some time ago, had quickly been removed.

Personally, the guard thought all the caution was a little over the top. He'd heard stories about how the prisoner could take out a man three times his size in the blink of an eye. Admittedly, the prisoner did bear more than a passing resemblance to some of the old kung fu masters in movies, but the guard had never seen him in action, or moving at all, for that matter.

It was, in fact, part of the reason why everyone was so concerned. The prisoner hadn't eaten or showered for some time now, and while the smell was bearable in shifts, there was no sign of his wasting away at all. It was almost as if he no longer required food to live.

This was fine with the guard, since he figured a prisoner that didn't eat or use water was saving the warden a pretty penny. And he had been meaning to ask for a raise.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden blare of the visitor alarm. Sighing again, he straightened his posture and waited.

Sure enough, another guard appeared, followed by a young woman dressed entirely in black. It was the first visitor that the prisoner had had since Kim Possible, actually. Maybe it was all the fur, he guessed. Some girls liked that kind of thing, or so he'd heard.

The other guard seemed to read the first's mind. "Daughter," he said simply as he unlocked the main door to allowed the woman into the hallway.

The guard wasn't so sure, though. As the young woman slipped past him with an almost unnatural grace, he got a pretty good look at her face, and he couldn't see any family resemblance. Though, if there was any girl that looked like the prisoner, he felt really sorry for.

The young woman peered into the cell, a marked frown on her lips. "Greetings, sensei. I would bow to show you the proper respect, but I doubt you can hear me. You have told me all I need to know with your silence. Sensei...warned me not to come here. I am glad that I did. Seeing you here, like this...I can truly appreciate why your techniques are legendary at Yamanouchi, even if they are forbidden. However, I cannot allow this to go on any longer. There is a disturbance, a corruption of the ancient styles that was never meant to be. I believe, now more than ever, that you are responsible. I will stop you. Whatever it takes, you will fail. Again."

Though the prisoner didn't move, his voice rang loud and clear in her mind.

_"Do as you must, child. I...we...will do the same. But your Chosen One, and all that he holds dear, belong to us, little Yori."_

In that moment, Yori's worst fears were realized. She turned quickly, only to run right into the guard, who had been watching her closely the whole time.

"Just a moment, miss," he said as his hand reached out in order to close around her deceptively thin arm.

So fast that her hand was a blur, Yori moved her palm swiftly before the astonished guard's face, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction as his own became wide and glassy.

"You will continue to guard the prisoner. No one will touch him. Do not allow it. Respond if you understand."

"I understand," the guard replied dully, almost as if he weren't interested.

After a moment's thought, Yori frowned. "The smell does not bother you," she added, almost sympathetically, before passing her hand before his face in the opposite direction this time.

The guard blinked and stared at her.

"I was just leaving. You will escort me?"

"Ah...no, miss. That's Thompson's job. He's the one that brought you in?"

"Of course. How silly of me. You are guarding the prisoner."

The guard straightened up at one, a new sense of purpose in his face. "Yes. I am."

"Then I will leave you to your work." She walked away from him, pausing as Thompson unlocked the door to let her back out, and then again as he relocked the door, before he led her to the exit.

She didn't have far to walk; there was a taxi waiting for her immediately outside of the prison.

"Where to next, miss?" the driver asked as she slid in.

Yori flashed him a pleasant smile that did not quite meet her eyes. "I would like to experience this Bueno Nacho I have heard so much about."

He chuckled. "Hope you can handle your spicy foods, then."

"I believe I am up to the challenge." Yori closed her eyes and lowered her head. Even here in America, she could feel the unwavering gaze of Sensei on her. Though she had disobeyed him, she could feel no disapproval under his stare. It may have been that she was meant to come here, or simply that Sensei truly wanted her to all along, but was unable to give her permission outright. Whatever his purpose in not stopping her (and she knew very well that he could've, easily), she had to believe that he was proud of her, and that his wisdom would guide her no matter what.

She would not for a moment accept the idea that Sensei, in his seemingly limitless foresight, would abandon the Chosen One when the greatest threat now came from within his very own body.

* * *

Endnotes (only as in the end of the chapter, of course):

Before anyone gets loud, I have it on somewhat good authority (read: dubbed anime) that some forms of martial arts do include hypnosis of sorts, or at least suggestive illusions. So no, Yori is no witch. At least not in the general sense, but to say she knows nothing of magic would be inaccurate. And don't read too much into Yori's respect for Monkey Fist, I just assume his connection to Yamanouchi goes beyond the Lotus Blade and Mystical Monkey Power.

Next Chapter: Ron calls on an unlikely ally to watch his back, and Yori drops in on the Possibles.

Reviews!

surforst: Zita is probably the only girl in the story without a hidden agenda, because I see her as a pretty straightforward person. If she says something, she means it. Kim wasn't impacted the exact same way that Ron was, since she didn't have Mystical Monkey Power beforehand. Tara is the most important person in Bonnie's life. As such, she can get Bonnie to do things she normally wouldn't...like express her true feelings. But keep in mind that their relationship is different from Ron and Kim's, in that Bonnie either can't and won't rely on friends and family: she only has Tara as her main support system. Basically, Bonnie loves Tara a great deal, and might even say so occasionally, either accidentally (as she did in the gym) or to satisfy Tara. But as Bonnie is still trying to figure out her feelings, nothing else is certain.

Zaratan: Kim is not acting like herself. Zita isn't as complicated as you might think. Not sure why people are so hooked on the idea of MMP being transferred sexually, but that's not the case here (will have to check out that story you mentioned). You DO seem to have a knack for figuring stories out ahead of everyone, but I must admit to only planning so far ahead for this story, so even I might not know how I'm going to get it to a certain place at the moment. Hopefully that'll make it more fun for all of us.

Kitsune6: The last chapter was shorter, but I wanted to get it out before I got bogged down in schoolwork, which I am now, so aren't you glad I did it then? I make no promises for final couples.

DarkJackel: All I'll say for now is that Kim has no idea what she's gotten herself into, and something DID happen. Bonnie was in a very bad place once, and Tara is actually trying to make it so that never happens again. Her way of doing that, though, is to find Bonnie at least one more decent friend to count on besides herself, and currently Tara thinks Ron may be the guy for the job.

The Infernal: Rest assured that Kim's recent actions are way outside the realm of her normal Kimness. I don't want to give too much away, but the plan you referred to? It isn't hers.


	12. Guess Who

Note: Finally saw Gorilla Fist, and I've decided that the events there wouldn't fit well in this story. So again, all Kim knew going into this was that Ron went to Yamanouchi (she doesn't know he has MMP, see my reasoning back in chapter 5 for details).

Chapter 12: Guess Who

So far, so good.

The usual bunch of jocks were circling her like vultures, and each time she got done dancing with one, at least three more popped up in her path, begging to be her next dance partner.

Bonnie recognized most of them, but had never really bothered to learn their names. One hulking mass of muscle was hardly different from any other, she figured. She wasn't even looking at them, really.

She was looking across the floor at Tara and Ron. They had yet to switch partners at all, and the dance was supposed to end in just thirty minutes. Bonnie tried not to think about and turned her back on them, making sure she didn't get any closer to them.

It almost worked.

Tara appeared a moment later, stealing away Bonnie's man-mountain and shooting her a rather obvious wink.

Suddenly, Ron was there, holding out his hand and asking her to dance.

Bonnie stared at him, and just when she'd summoned up enough courage to answer him...the phone rang.

Bonnie grumbled sleepily as she sat up, reaching for the phone without thinking. As the world came fully into focus, she realized two things: this was Tara's house, and that was Tara's phone ringing. No one else she knew had "Frosty the Snowman" for a ringtone year-round (Tara was a devoted Snowman Hank fan).

"T, PHONE!" she shouted.

"SO ANSWER IT!" Tara shouted back from somewhere in the house.

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie flicked open Tara's cell phone. "Hello?"

There was a brief pause, and then: "Bon-Bon! Just the person I was looking for!"

Bonnie's heart leaped into her throat. "Ron?" she croaked.

"You're at Tara's, right?" Ron asked, apparently either not noticing or deciding not to comment on it.

"Yeah," Bonnie muttered uncertainly.

"Great, don't move, be there in a flash. Oh, and see if she's got a first aid kit...and some lotion!"

Before Bonnie could ask, Ron hung up. She stared at the phone for a moment, then dropped it on the coffee table and climbed off of the couch to search for the requested items. By the time she found them, someone was ringing the doorbell rapidly.

"I'll get it!" Tara called.

Still, Bonnie ran to meet her, and reached the front door just after Tara had opened it.

The sight that awaited them was a rather unique one.

Ron and Zita had collapsed on the front steps, their arms draped limply around each other, their clothes ripped and smoking slightly at the ends. Surrounding them were a large group of what could only be monkey ninjas in a similar state.

"Sorry to bring my work home with me," Ron said, sounding dazed, "but it was REALLY insistent." He managed to turn to monkeys and mutter an order.

Bonnie wasn't sure, but she thought he said something about a 'mate'.

Instantly, the monkeys relaxed, and a couple of them came forward to practically carry Ron up the steps and push him into a startled Tara's arms. With some difficulty, she dragged him inside.

Zita got to her feet on her own, albeit very slowly. She started to enter as well, but then noticed (probably tipped off by the unpleasant look on Bonnie's face) that the monkeys had every intention of following her inside. She turned around and pointed at them, saying, "Stay. Staaay. Good monkey ninjas."

The monkeys traded looks with each other, but all of them eventually sat either on the steps or in the yard, their legs folded neatly beneath them.

"Tara doesn't have a pet, right?" Zita asked.

Bonnie shook her head.

"Do the neighbors?"

"No. You think they'd attack the monkeys?"

"More like the monkeys would attack them. They get...excited, and after what they tried to do to the last dog we came across, well...it was just best to ask right away."

Bonnie's face paled a bit, and she quickly shut the door behind Zita. "What happened?"

"Shego happened," Zita replied. "You know her, right? Dark hair, wears black and green, shoots fire from her hands?"

Bonnie shrugged. "I've seen her attacking Kim on the evening news, if that counts."

"Guess it'll have to. Turns out she's not so exclusive with her ambushes anymore. Even after we told her that Ron and Kim split up, she just kept coming. I couldn't tell if she didn't believe us, or if she just didn't care. If those monkeys hadn't shown up when they did, we'd still be running for our lives."

"And...they listen to you?" Bonnie asked.

Zita blinked. "What? I don't know, Ron said they were pretty smart. That was the first time I ever told them to do anything. I guess if they really listened to anyone, it'd be Ron. Why?"

"Just...curious," Bonnie said slowly.

* * *

While they were geniuses in their own right, the Possible twins, like most children their age, were not all that good at being very quiet for extended periods. This was also true of nearly all their inventions, which was part of why Operation: Liberate Kimmunicator had been a resounding failure last night. The other part seemed to be due more to Kim's suddenly very sensitive hearing.

At any rate, the twins had given up that particular plan as a lost cause. Kim would no doubt take the Kimmunicator with her when she left the house, and would keep it nearby when she was home. They had aroused her suspicions, but fortunately, Kim hadn't done anything further to punish them...yet.

Tim was determined to get word to someone outside of the family, though, either Wade or Ron. But any contact with Wade had to go through Kim, and Ron just wasn't coming around anymore. Calling was out, too, since Kim was constantly guarding the phone line as well. As they were now virtually prisoners in their own home, the twins decided to take desperate actions.

Come Monday, they would go to school, hang around for an hour so everyone would see them, and then make a break for it. The most obvious choice was Ron's house, but Kim would check there first. Then there was Monique, who, according to the messages she left on the answering machine, hadn't heard from Kim in days. She already knew Kim was behaving oddly, so maybe they could convince her of just HOW oddly.

If those fell through, well...there was always hiding behind the dumpsters at Bueno Nacho, since Ron was bound to show up there sooner or later.

* * *

Ron's scars from Shego's ambush healed fast. Too fast. Overnight, really. There was no point in trying to hide it, either. Tara had personally applied lotion to his back, and she wanted to see if there was any improvement the next morning. Which there obviously was.

Ron saw this as the perfect time to tell her about Mystical Monkey Power. For some reason, he made it sound a lot less scary than it had actually been at first, and conveniently left out any direct mention of Pak, although he did say it was sometimes like he had a monkey in his head for real, which was awfully close to being true in his opinion.

It seemed the only reasonable choice. Mystical Monkey Power very conveniently explained the monkey ninjas, the fast healing, and the ability to communicate with the monkeys.

Tara took it all very well...as in she only nodded regularly during the story, looking very serious, and when he was done, she replied with, "Thanks for telling me." Which left him with the impression that this wasn't the first time someone close to her had revealed a superpowered secret. It also hinted that Bonnie wasn't comfortable keeping things from Tara, which seemed like a very good thing at the time. At least, in Ron's mind it meant that Bonnie wouldn't be doing anything (to him) that she wasn't comfortable telling Tara about.

Although, over the course of the past night, Ron was starting to think that he could trust Bonnie...at least, to a certain extent. Ron had been so exhausted then that he hadn't given any thought to where Zita would stay. He himself had merely collapsed on the couch and surrendered to sleep. It was only after he'd woken up that he'd learned Bonnie had kindly offered Zita the guest bedroom at her own house. Ron was so surprised when Tara told him that, he didn't react at all. Had Zita and Bonnie made some connection that neither one had mentioned, or was Bonnie actually trying to win points with him?

Ron couldn't be sure of her intentions, but he was definitely liking the idea of a kinder, gentler Bonnie...especially with the dance looming large in his mind, now just under a week away. He still had no idea what he was supposed to do with her, other than dance, but he was seriously considering one more option. Hopefully, Tara wouldn't have a problem with it, and he could, with Zita's help, convince Bonnie to go along with it. It was a long shot, but stranger things had happened in Ron's life.

Actually, it was more than a long shot. It would take nothing short of a miracle to get Bonnie to become what she'd despised for at least the past three years of her life. Because that was exactly what Ron was planning to ask of her, in essence.

He was asking her to replace his former partner, Kim Possible.

* * *

After spending two minutes in the presence of Bonnie's older sisters, Zita came to a rather blunt conclusion.

"You know, if you ever decided to run away, Bonnie, I'm pretty sure I could get my parents to adopt you. You don't eat much, and so long as you limited shopping sprees to every other month, we could probably afford you."

"I'll keep that in mind," Bonnie promised as she browsed her closet, searching for an outfit that Zita could wear home. Zita had insisted it wasn't necessary, but Bonnie had insisted that people assumed things when a person wore the same clothes two days in a row, especially when they were seen leaving someone else's house. Zita had promptly told Bonnie that she didn't swing that way, and Bonnie, smirking all the while, claimed she had unintentionally tempted more than one girl who'd said the same. Zita had no way of knowing if Bonnie was kidding or not, but she seemed a bit too smug to disregard it completely. Although maybe that was just her natural Bonnie-ness coming through.

It took a while, but Bonnie finally found something that Zita didn't mind being seen in (their tastes in fashion clashed more than Level 40 Wraiths, according to Zita, and Bonnie just had to take her word for it). As Zita studied the borrowed outfit in a mirror, Bonnie cleared her throat.

"So. You used to date Ron."

Zita grinned. "You heard that, huh?"

"How was it?" Bonnie asked hesitantly.

"Hard to say. It was more like regular hanging out than anything else. He was a gentleman, of course. Sweet when he really tried, and charmingly goofy when he didn't." Zita paused. "Shouldn't you just be asking Tara this?"

Bonnie's face went pale. "I can't. I mean, I couldn't. He's-"

"Her boyfriend? I'm aware. But surely you two discussed boyfriends before?"

"That was different. I always had a boyfriend then, and..."

"You weren't interested in Tara's boyfriend at the time."

Bonnie closed her eyes. "So I can't talk to her about this. I get jealous just thinking about them together. If I had to listen to her talk about how great he is on a date..."

"You'd resent her, and you don't want that, because she's your best friend."

Bonnie nodded slowly, staring at the floor.

"May I make a small suggestion, even if it seems self-serving?" Zita asked.

"I guess," Bonnie muttered.

"You're not sure of your feelings for Ron. But it seems like you know exactly how much Tara means to you. So why risk the sure thing?"

Bonnie swallowed noisily. "I just...I feel like...I need to."

Zita shook her head. "Uh, okay. But don't say I didn't try to help you out when things get REALLY complicated."

Sighing, Bonnie peered out of her window...only to get a major shock as she spotted Ron jogging up the driveway. "This can't be good."

* * *

The customer was always right. Even when they were nuts.

Ned knew this, lived and breathed this, in fact. It was how he'd become Assistant Manager of Bueno Nacho # 237. And while he wasn't a people person, Ned knew how the masses thought. Every customer was different, but in a very real sense, they were all the same. So long as you gave them what they wanted in a reasonable amount of time, things were largely fine.

There were always special cases, though.

The young woman in booth 9, for example. She'd been there all day, pretty much. She seemed to realize that loiterers weren't welcome, because every hour she would order something: usually a drink, sometimes a side item. At any rate, Ned didn't dare complain, so long as she was buying.

Not even when she started talking to herself.

Ned had seen weirder things; after all, he shared a hometown with Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable. He just considered himself lucky that this pretty, crazy woman wasn't flinging green fire at his walls.

It was around four in the afternoon when she waved him over again, and Ned went, determined to satisfy all of his customers.

"I wonder if you could help me, Ned," she said pleasantly. "I am interested in purchasing large quantities of these materials." She placed a list on the table. "Do you know where I might be able to find them?"

It was a little odd, but she'd taken the time to read his nametag, something most people didn't bother to do unless they were about to cause trouble. That alone impressed Ned, not to mention her exotic good looks. So he scanned the list, and broke out into a smile.

"Oh, that's easy, miss. All of these items can be found at any Smarty Mart location. Except for this last one, I've never heard of that."

"I see. Thank you, Ned. You have been most helpful."

"Will there be anything else, miss?"

"Yes." She passed her hand swiftly before his face. "Tell me everything you know about the woman called Shego."

* * *

"Could you give us a minute, Z?" Ron asked. "I need to speak to Bonnie alone."

Zita glanced at each of them suspiciously. "You two aren't going to make out, are you?"

"NO!" Bonnie cried, turning bright red.

"I guess I can trust you," Zita murmured. "But if I hear any weird noises, I'm coming back in a hurry." She left the room, purposely leaving the door open a bit.

"So talk," Bonnie muttered, rubbing her arms uncomfortably.

"I need your help," Ron stated. "The whole saving the world thing is more of a two person deal, and I can't do it alone."

Bonnie stared at him. "You're kidding, right?"

"I don't joke about work. Well, okay, I do, but I'm not now. You're the only person for miles around that could compete with Kim at almost everything. Besides that, I trust you."

That got her attention. "You...you do?"

"I trust you to watch my back, to help me if I get into trouble. Maybe not to keep your hands to yourself, but I trust you wouldn't want to fondle me if I was bleeding or worse, so it'd be in your best interest to prevent stuff like that. See how great it works out for both of us?"

"What about Tara?" Bonnie asked quietly.

"I don't think she'll have a problem with it, but I'll run it past her if you think I should. So was that a yes on your part?"

Bonnie avoided his eyes. "That's a maybe."

Ron grinned at her. "Great. But just so you know, Bon-Bon: anyone other than you would be settling. Do you really want me putting my life in the hands of an amateur?"

"No, but...WHAT?" Bonnie snapped as Ron's grin grew wider.

"It's just oddly pleasant, you liking me and all," Ron admitted. "I could get used to it."

"Arrogance doesn't suit you at all, Ron."

"Hey, I learned it from you."

"I'm way better at it, though, so just leave it to me."

"I feel like we just had a real moment here. Maybe we should hug?" Ron suggested, holding out his arms.

Maybe he was imagining it, but something seemed to pass through Bonnie's face. It was gone in an instant, and she shook her head. "Don't push your luck, Ron."

"Handshake? Mole rat hug?"

"What?" Bonnie asked sharply.

"Tiny hug. Two fingers." Ron poked Bonnie's arm gently. "See? Totally harmless."

"Are we done here or what?" Bonnie demanded.

"Y'know, part of being a friend is being friendly, Bon-Bon."

"I let you get away with calling me that childish name, and that's all you get for now."

"Bonnie, you're way too tense. Maybe you need a mole rat massage?"

"Get out!"

* * *

"I still say we could've used a computer at school to e-mail Wade," Jim insisted.

Tim nodded. "Yeah, but Kim knows our rerouting through Sweden trick, and she's probably had the place bugged by now. Remember when we forced the Pixie Scouts to shut down for a week with that bogus e-mail on cooties? We need to go someplace she wouldn't think to check."

"Well, where? Kim isn't stupid, and if she had time, she really might check everywhere, or have Wade do it for her. She might have even told him that we're playing a joke on him or something."

"I never thought our record would work against us," Tim muttered.

Jim lowered his head and as they walked down the dirt path in silence. Until they made up their minds about where they were actually going, they were avoiding main roads and sidewalks whenever they could. Not having a destination in mind made for slow going (not to mention pointlessness), but they were quickly running out of ideas. Normally, it took little effort to form one between the two of them, but somehow the idea of Kim being evil made it hard to focus.

So neither was paying all that much attention to their surroundings, which only made it easier for the person following them to close in undetected. When Jim decided to run another idea by his twin, he only had time to open his mouth before a gloved hand slid over it. A glance to the left found his brother in the same state.

"You will not be harmed," said soft voice with an almost silky quality to it. "But if you want to save your sister, you must come with me."

* * *

Next Chapter: Team YoGo

Tim and Jim know better than to trust strangers...especially those that hang out with Shego.

Reviews!

S Darkness: Kim isn't exactly hypnotized, but she isn't in control of her own actions.

whitem: Zaratan had the right idea, stick with him.

The Infernal: Yes, Monkey Fist did something to Kim. Yori is there to help, one way or another.

surforst: Whether Pak is evil depends largely on your definition. Keep in mind Yori hasn't encountered Ron or Kim yet, so her definition would be different from, say, Ron's. She only knows what she learned from meeting with Monkey Fist. Bonnie might surprise you yet.

That Ron never made use of his monkey ninjas was one of my complaints about the show. At the very least, they would've made dealing with henchmen easier. When you think about it, how many henchmen are prepared to deal with monkeys that know martial arts?

wizardmon92: Ron's unlikely ally is already in the story. This won't be a crossover.

Ranma Higurashi: What? I've NEVER watched that show! Okay just once, but there was a marathon and nothing else was on! I only did it for Beast Boy's VA! I swear it! STOP LOOKING AT ME!

thsunami: I'm actually familiar with the monkey trickster tales from various parts of the world, but that wasn't my inspiration. My idea for this story came straight out of a KP episode, legend-based or not.


	13. Team YoGo

Note: A big thanks to Hob for inventing the term "YoGo" which inspired the chapter title, and another big thanks to everyone else at the KP Slash Haven for allowing me to make a scene, literally.

Chapter 13: Team YoGo

"Sorry, lady, but we want some proof that you know Ron!" Jim demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yeah! Like the password!" Tim added.

Yori stared at them uncertainly. "Password?" she said after a moment.

Tim frowned. "Hicka bicka boo."

Yori bowed her head, forming a fist with her left hand and pressing it into her open right palm. "Hoosha."

Jim and Tim traded confused looks.

"Okay, so it's a ninja version, but it's still the password," Jim whispered to his brother. "I think we can trust her. We could use a ninja if Kim flips out again."

Tim proved to be a little more wary, though. "I don't know. She did kinda kidnap us..."

"Like we knew where we were going, anyway. She probably did us a favor. Kim would've found us eventually if we kept wandering the streets."

"I am sure Ron-san will vouch for me," Yori explained. "You need only contact him."

"We can definitely do that," Jim agreed. "I'm pretty sure there's a payphone about a block away."

"I will escort you," Yori said at once.

Tim didn't like the idea. "Why don't we stay here while Jim goes?"

Yori clearly didn't agree, but since she was eager to earn their trust, she offered no protest.

While his brother was gone, Tim got a better look at the place. It was an abandoned building, virtually a maze of shipping crates. Yori had scaled one of the taller stacks and was apparently meditating. So long as she was in his sight, Tim didn't care much what she did.

It quickly became obvious that there was nothing of interest inside, and exploring further was just a waste of time and energy. Tim had thought that this was Yori's secret headquarters, but more than likely it was just the first suitable place she'd spotted since grabbing them.

As he looked up and spotted Yori again, he noticed that she was speaking into a handheld device. Now, maybe Yori just didn't see the need to speak louder, or her voice was naturally that soft, but Tim instantly became suspicious and crept closer.

"How is your observation going?" Yori asked.

"Weird. I'm following her and her boyfriend, and she knows I'm here, but she's not doing anything about it."

Tim's eyes narrowed. He KNEW that voice.

"I expected that Possible-san would be behaving differently by now. That she does not see the need to deal with you at the moment is a good thing."

"Maybe for you," muttered the speaker. "I don't like not being considered a threat. It's insulting."

"Patience, Shego-san. When the time is right, you will be able to take that up with her personally."

"I'm gonna hold you to that, Yori."

"I thought you might." Yori slipped the device into her pocket. "There is no need to hide, you know. I sensed your approach."

Tim glared up at her. "Well, unless you can explain why you're working with Shego, you're going to sense me leaving!"

* * *

Bonnie had known right away that Ron's proposal...well, that was a VERY bad word for it, in her mind. She had known that Ron's offer would present some problems, the first of which had finally occurred to her. As cheer squad practice ended, while some of the team left right away, there were some stragglers that seemed intent on gossiping right then. Normally, Bonnie wouldn't have minded.

Unfortunately, Ron had scheduled their first training session for that afternoon, right after practice. Which put Bonnie in a difficult position. While she had made passes at Ron, she'd never done so where anyone else could see her. At this point, she was not ready to sacrifice her popularity for him, no matter how great he may have seemed at other times. So the very idea of approaching Ron Stoppable on school grounds and actually holding a conversation with him (one that didn't involve her humiliating him, anyway) was out of the question. So was leaving with him, for that matter.

There was a silver lining to this cloud, however, in the form of Tara. For some reason, she'd been thrilled when she found out that Bonnie had agreed to work with Ron. She was so happy, in fact, that she begged to sit in on the first training session. Bonnie was still a bit torn about that. On one hand, Tara's presence would mean that nothing would happen between Bonnie and Ron. On the other hand...Tara's presence would mean that NOTHING would happen between Bonnie and Ron. That wasn't why Tara was going, of course, but since her being there would keep Bonnie honest, maybe it was for the best.

At any rate, Tara was also a cheerleader, and no one would question HER talking to Ron, since it was public knowledge that they were dating now. So Bonnie quickly made a beeline for the locker room, dragging a startled Tara with her.

"You must be really eager about the train-" Tara began to say.

"I have to do something first," Bonnie interrupted. "You two, um...go ahead. I'll call when I'm on the way."

Tara stared at her uncertainly. Then realization crept into her eyes. "You don't want to be seen with him, do you?"

Bonnie said nothing.

"So it's okay for some maniac bent on world domination to see you, but not people at school?"

Bonnie shook her head. "Like I'd care what an evil crazy person thinks, Tara."

Tara bit her lip. Finally, she turned away from her best friend. "Bonnie, you know I love you," she said softly. "But sometimes, you make it really hard for me to remember that." With that, Tara walked off in a hurry.

Bonnie sank down on a bench and sighed. "This day just keeps getting better," she muttered, closing her eyes.

* * *

Shego was pleased to find that while she hadn't specifically worked as a spy for years, most of the old skills never really went away. They certainly made her current job much easier, but only in the sense that Kim Possible's boyfriend hadn't detected her.

Kim, however, had known Shego was there inside five minutes. Which didn't really bother Shego so much as the WAY Kim found her.

Kim had SNIFFED her out. At least, it had definitely looked that way. One moment, Kim had been hanging all over her boyfriend, and the next, she'd paused, audibly sniffed the air, and then looked directly at Shego, though only for a few seconds. Then she'd gone right back to talking.

At the time, Shego had been at least sixty feet away, and it had been days since she'd bothered with any perfume (and even then she kept it light). But from that point on, Kim would throw her an occasional glance, just to let her know that she knew Shego was there. Sometimes she would even smile, as if enjoying their little secret.

It was odd, because normally Shego was the one who played games like that on Kim, not the other way around. And it was enough unlike Kim that Shego began to wonder if Yori's crazy story was true. The proof was starting to pile up.

Kim had kept her distance from Stoppable all day, and the most interaction they had was a heated glance when Kim was making eyes at Josh. She'd also brushed off Monique and Wade, which really made Shego wonder. Changing friends was one thing, but blowing off missions? Either Kim was really hung up on Josh, or it was all an act. And Shego could not accept that Kim Possible was so into a guy that she'd let the world fall into criminal hands.

So it was an act, then. But why? Why go through all these changes just to seem like a typical crushing cheerleader?

By the time Kim and Josh stopped off for ice cream (they actually fed each other), Shego decided she'd seen enough to make her ill for a month. All this time, she'd done her best to defeat Kim Possible, and what finally brought her down? Seemingly a cute boy, but there had to be more.

Maybe Yori had been onto something, after all. Shego almost regretted nearly giving the ninja girl a permanent tan, but then, Yori had snuck up on her, and Shego's subsequently injured pride had made her dismiss most of Yori's ideas right away. But Yori had challenged her, to be the Shego that had pushed Kim to her limits, rather than the one that had fallen into a routine of only facing Kim when necessary. Shego owed Yori more than she would've liked to admit, and for that reason only, she'd let the girl talk her into doing this.

Yet Shego had insisted that lines be drawn. Yori had sworn that this wouldn't get in the way of her work, but she'd also implied that Kim should be Shego's priority, not Drakken's jobs. Shego wasn't so foolish as to think she could trust Yori, but she had at least thought that ninjas were supposed to be true to their word.

So when she returned to Drakken's lair to find Tim and Jim Possible wrecking the place with their unique brand of destruction, well, she knew a line had most definitely been crossed. It was impossible to see because of all the smoke, but it had DEFINITELY been crossed.

* * *

Ron could tell there was something wrong between Tara and Bonnie, but he wasn't sure if it was his place to mention it. If it was about him, maybe he should stay out of it. But if it was about something else, maybe an outside opinion would help. Then again, he'd almost have to agree with Tara by default, which wouldn't improve Bonnie's mood or focus at all. And there was no point in training if Bonnie wasn't going to her best.

_"Ron fix,"_ Pak suggested, giving him a mental prod. _"Tara happiest when Bonnie happy. Bonnie stronger when focused."_

Taking a deep breath, Ron cleared his throat loudly. "So. Are you two going to keep ignoring each other, or do we want to try and work this out?"

"According to Bonnie, you're good enough for her to hit on, but not good enough for her to be seen with you," Tara reported angrily.

Ron would've been more hurt, if he hadn't expected something like that from Bonnie. But there was enough anger in the air already, so he tried another approach.

"That true, Bon-Bon?" Ron asked.

Predictably, Bonnie couldn't even meet his eyes, especially not when he called her that. But now that he'd found a weak spot, Ron had to keep pushing.

"Look, I know the situation is weird, and that we're all going to have to adjust." He paused, wondering if maybe he should've warned Tara first. "But you're going to have to get past this, or it'll be pretty awkward when I ask you to dance in front of everyone."

Bonnie's head snapped up. "What?" she demanded.

"Ron!" Tara cried. "She wasn't supposed to know until the dance!"

"Well, now she's got something to look forward to...or not, depending on her answer."

"You knew about this, Tara?" Bonnie asked, sounding confused.

"It was my idea," Tara sighed. "I thought if Ron asked you to dance, there was a slim chance you might say yes, and then you'd realize how you truly felt about him. I figured if it was a surprise, you wouldn't get a chance to try and talk your way out of it."

"Nothing's changed," Ron insisted. "I'm still going to ask her to dance, and she still has to answer. I can't imagine that a little thing like getting approached by me would scare Bonnie into missing a school dance."

"I'm not scared!" Bonnie snapped. "I'm just...resistant to the idea."

"Then I've got a few days to wear down your resistance. Anyway, if it's Tara you're worried about, she'd be dancing with whoever you're taking to the dance, so no problem there."

Bonnie's eyes widened, and without warning, she bolted from the room.

Ron blinked and looked at Tara. "What was that about?"

Tara shrugged. "Now that I think about it, Bonnie hasn't mentioned a date for the dance at all."

Ron paled. "But she's sure to have SOMEONE by now. I mean, she's Bonnie!"

"You're probably right," Tara agreed, but she seemed a bit worried, too.

* * *

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself, Yori. Starting with what the HELL you were thinking bringing these two...things here!"

For someone that was standing face to face with an enraged Shego, Yori appeared remarkably calm, which probably wasn't going to help her position at all.

"My suspicions about Possible-san were correct. She has even alienated her brothers. They no longer feel safe around her."

This gave Shego pause...but not for long. "But why would you bring them HERE?"

"Only you were a match for Possible-san before this began. In her current state, it might even take our combined efforts just to slow her down."

"Are you asking me to protect Kim Possible's family from HER?"

Yori nodded.

"Oh, this is just PERFECT! I'm not even getting paid for this crap!" Shego shouted.

"We get ten bucks a week in allowance," Jim offered hesitantly from the chair Shego had tied him up in.

"YOU SHUT UP!" Shego barked, pointing fiercely at him.

Jim wisely fell silent.

Yori firmly gripped Shego's arm and led her away from the boys. "Shego-san, you must understand. Possible-san's family is of the greatest importance to her."

Shego glared at her. "Yeah, and?"

Yori sighed patiently. "What do you think she would do, if upon regaining her true self, she realized that she had allowed harm to come to them? Do you think she would remain the same person you are so determined to defeat? You must know her better than that, Shego-san."

Shego did know Kim better than that. More than that, she knew Yori was right. She just didn't like admitting that fact.

"You and I must work together if we are to save Possible-san from herself. That includes protecting her family. I will have the boys contact their parents so the authorities are not involved. In the meantime, I need you to find something that will greatly aid us. I believe the task is best suited to someone of your expertise, Shego-san."

"You mean whatever it is needs to be stolen, right?"

"We are merely borrowing it for the time being," Yori disagreed calmly.

"So we're stealing it temporarily."

Yori stared at Shego. "You won't go unless I admit that we're stealing it, will you?"

Shego just grinned at her.

"We are stealing," Yori said shortly.

Shego clapped the ninja hard on the back. "You're learning, Yori."

Yori winced slightly. "Indeed, Shego-san."

* * *

Bonnie could not ignore the fact that her hands were trembling as she picked up her art textbook. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the book.

Of course, it was much more than just a mere textbook. Within these pages were the phone numbers and brief descriptions of virtually every dateable guy at Middleton High. It had been some time since Bonnie had thumbed through the book, since the most important pages were committed to memory.

After a few minutes of scanning the pages, Bonnie snapped the book shut. None of the guys seemed anywhere near as appealing anymore, not even the sports captains. And she had a sneaking suspicion as to why.

None of them were Ron Stoppable.

It was stupid, really. Bonnie had been so caught up in this Ron/Tara mess that she hadn't even bothered to secure herself a date for the dance. And if there was one thing Rockwallers didn't do, it was go to social events solo. So she could either scrape up one of the slim pickings that was left by now, or take the hard route and steal some other girl's guy. But Bonnie didn't really feel like making any enemies just now, not when Tara was already mad at her, and Ron...well, she did care what he thought, no matter how much she tried to deny it.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to allow him once dance with her.

What did popularity matter if it lost her the only real friend she had?

Tara would never suggest anything harmful, and Bonnie did need a dance partner. Otherwise, the whole school would be buzzing about how Bonnie Rockwaller couldn't get a date for the dance. On the other hand, would it be worse if they were buzzing about how she had danced with Ron Stoppable?

What Bonnie needed was some advice, and she wasn't going to be able to get it from Tara. Sighing, she picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hi, Mrs. Flores? Could I speak to Zita, please?"

* * *

Mrs. Dr. Possible hung up the phone and turned to her daughter, who was helping put the dishes away.

Kim noticed her mother staring. "Who was on the phone, Mom?"

"Oh. That was your brothers. They're sleeping over at a friend's house tonight."

"Cool," Kim answered with a smile. "Finally, a whole night where nothing explodes!"

Mrs. Possible returned the smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Your father's working late as well. And since it's going to be just us girls..."

"Yeah?" Kim asked, putting a plate in the cabinet and shutting the door.

"I thought we could have a nice chat." Mrs. Possible reached out and brushed a few lose strands of red hair out of Kim's face. "I haven't brushed your hair for you in a while, have I?" She let her hand drop. "Unless, of course, you're too old for that?"

Kim seemed to be thinking it over. Finally, she smiled. "I guess I could pretend to be six or so for one night. But only if we agree to leave pigtails firmly in the past, where they belong."

"Deal. I'll meet you upstairs in ten minutes."

Kim grinned and gave her mother a peck on the cheek. "Is it hard, being the best mom ever?"

Mrs. Possible chuckled. "I don't know about all that. But I'd do anything to keep my children happy and healthy."

"It's totally working!" Kim called as she bounded upstairs.

Mrs. Possible sighed deeply as she studied the few strands of hair in her hand. "Anything at all..."

* * *

"Okay, what did you do this time?" Zita demanded playfully as she picked up the phone.

"Basically, I told Ron I didn't want to be seen with him," Bonnie answered.

"You know, for future reference, that's not really a turn-on."

"I know. But it was the truth!"

"Was? I hope that means it isn't now, and that you've changed your mind?"

"I...I'm leaning towards it."

Zita shook her head. "Bonnie, I have an idea that I think you should try. Now, it might sound strange, but hear me out."

"Okay."

"I want you to keep a constant list of everyone in your life that's important to you. Doesn't have to be in order, but it might help. On a regular basis, you should ask everyone on the list what you can do for them. Maybe every other month or so. Now, here's the tricky part. If, for any reason, you ever find that you can't do something for someone on your list, you need to take a long, hard look at your relationship with them, and figure out if they still belong on your list."

"That...sounds pretty simple."

Zita smirked. "Yeah? It's tougher than it sounds. For example, let's try it out now. I'd say Tara and Ron are on your list, right?"

"Right..."

"Right. Off the top of your head, what does Tara want?"

"She...she wants me to dance with Ron, so I can figure out how I really feel about him."

"Can you do that?"

"I don't know," Bonnie whispered.

"Does Tara belong on your list?"

"Yes," Bonnie replied firmly.

"Well, here's a hint. All those people who might talk about you for dancing with Ron? Are they on your list?"

"No."

"Then maybe you shouldn't be worrying about them too much."

* * *

With a soft, drawn-out moan, he returned to the realm of the living.

His eyes were black-ringed (more than usual, anyway) and bloodshot, and his throat felt as if he'd swallowed sandpaper. It took a few moments for the numbness in his limbs to fade, and as it did, a chill ran down his spine.

_"There is a fourth."_

"Impossible. We did not summon-"

_"There are other ways. Older ways."_

"Who?"

_"He talks with the ninja-child. That is all, for now."_

"Yori knows too much. She could become a threat."

_"Lailah will see that she does not interfere. Our greatest concern must always be Michael. How is it that you summoned him instead of Belphegor?"_

"I warned you that these particular humans were resourceful. We should consider ourselves fortunate that we even managed to entrap Kim Possible."

_"Fortune has no value to me. It is my destiny to seek revenge on Michael. I will be the one to cast him into darkness."_

"We will both have our revenge, my friend. Where Ron Stoppable hides, Michael will not be far behind."

_"There will be no more hiding. I will have Lailah draw them out. While they are distracted, we will strike."_

* * *

Kim Possible regained consciousness at the end of a phone conversation with Josh Mankey.

"See you at the dance, Kim," he was saying.

"Yeah. I'll be there," Kim replied, though in truth, she had no idea where she would be.

She was certain that the last time she'd been...in, she'd been talking to Monkey Fist. Now, she had no idea what day it was, or how she'd gotten back into her room, much less how she'd snagged Josh Mankey for the dance. There were only a few things she knew for certain.

Ron wasn't speaking to her.

And she was scared. Very scared.

_"Oh, we can't have you scared, now can we, precious?"_

Kim closed her eyes tightly and tried to block out the voice.

_"No, you can't ignore me, dear, so don't even bother. I'm not going anywhere...not without you, that is. Now put on a smile, we need to practice for Joshie, don't we?"_

Kim felt tears prickling in her eyes as her mouth stretched into an awful parody of a smile.

_"Well, it needs work, but I'll get you there. You just leave everything to Lailah, darling. Not that you have a choice."_

Choking back a sob, Kim buried her face in her hands, even as the loud, mocking laughter echoed in her ears. She'd known that without Ron, she couldn't save the world. What she hadn't known was that without him, she couldn't even save herself.

* * *

Endnote: I have a book called "Angels: A to Z" on my bed that I occasionally use to name characters. Just so you know, it's open now.

Next Chapter: Angel of Night

The dance arrives, but Kim doesn't.

* * *


	14. Angel of Night

Notes: Took a break from this story, in order to produce "Twinkle, Little Star." It was an...interesting experience, though, one I'm not immensely proud of. As you can probably tell, since I haven't even posted it yet, if I ever even will. Now, back to business.

Chapter 14: Angel of Night

Josh Mankey had been on many dates before, and liked to think of himself as an old pro at the "big" dates: special occasions, family gatherings, and especially dances.

The typical rules did not apply when dating Kim Possible, however. Josh knew up front that there was a pretty good chance that any date with her could be broken up by a mission or a random bad guy attack. For that reason, any big surprises were always presented right away, and the rest of the date pretty much had to coast on leftover momentum. Luckily, Josh was good at coasting, and Kim had understood his reasoning, though she'd been a lot more accepting of it than Josh had expected.

Another thing Josh hadn't expected was for Kim to be so...physical. Certainly, he'd seen her beat up grown men on the evening news, but he had never really accounted for how that might transfer into her dating habits. In short, Kim wasn't too shy about touching him. At first, he'd thought that since they'd dated previously, she was more interested in picking up where they'd left off. It was more than that, though. Kim seemed to have a need for physical contact that just hadn't been there before. Josh didn't want to read too much into it, in case things went sour for them again. But the fact remained that every time they went on an official date, Kim either found a reason to touch him, or decided she didn't need a reason at all to do so.

Josh wasn't sure if he should say anything. Pushing Kim away might spoil everything. But he also didn't want to lead her on by welcoming her advances, until it got to the point where he had to either go all the way or break things off completely. And, honestly, he was less worried about disappointing Kim a second time, and more concerned about how she might react to being rejected. If she was this aggressive now, did he want to be in a public place with plenty of witnesses when things went south, or alone with her only to end up going missing? It wasn't something that Josh would've thought about with the old Kim, but the one that he was dating now seemed a bit more...volatile. He hadn't yet made her mad, exactly, but at the same time, there seemed to be hints that Kim really liked getting her way, and that his personal safety wouldn't be on the line so long as he agreed with her.

So Josh wasn't exactly feeling pressure-free when he drove up to the Possible home on Saturday night. In fact, he sat in his car for a few extra minutes, trying to mentally prepare himself for a big evening. They would go to the dance, and depending on how much Kim enjoyed it, he would either take her straight home afterwards, or stop off somewhere they could be alone. He was pretty sure it would end up being the latter, given the past few dates. Oh, he got the 'shot into a black hole' speech from Mr. Dr. Possible every time, but he also got the speech from Kim that basically went, "I'M the one you need to keep happy, not him." And, in all fairness, Kim could hurt Josh so bad that he WISHED he were in a black hole, so Mr. Possible just wasn't as scary by comparison.

That gave Josh pause as he stepped out of his car. He was actually afraid of his girlfriend. That had never really happened before, not even the first time he'd dated Kim. He'd been nervous once or twice around a girl, but never afraid. This was...odd. And yet he couldn't think of a good enough excuse to call the whole thing off. One that wouldn't result in Kim pummeling him all the way back to his car, anyway.

Sighing, Josh started up the driveway, and stopped when he saw Kim running around the side of the house towards him, wearing a tank top and shorts. He looked down at his tuxedo, and wished he'd thought to bring a chance of clothes.

"Hey!" Kim panted as she ran up, giving him a swift kiss on the lips. "Wanna do something nuts?"

"Like go to the dance in casual clothes?" Josh guessed.

Kim grinned wickedly. "Actually, I was thinking we could skip the dance entirely. There's this place with a really great view I found on a mission. But you wouldn't really be comfortable in that tux, so maybe we should drop by your house so you can change."

"So...we're not going to the dance at all?" Josh clarified.

"Don't worry, we'll be back in plenty of time. I've got it all set up," Kim assured him. "Oh, you're not scared of heights, are you?"

"No," Josh answered slowly as they walked to his car. "Should I be?"

"Only if joining the Mile High Club would bother you," Kim replied airily.

Josh nearly banged his hip with the car door as he opened it for her. "Excuse me?" he choked out.

Kim just smirked at him for a moment, before leaning in to brush his lips with another quick kiss. "Relax, I was joking," she said as she got in the car.

Josh swallowed hard and began to close her door, but not before he caught her next statement.

"I'd rather wait to do that until we were back on solid ground, anyway."

* * *

"So, any news on the Bonnie front?" Ron asked, trying his best to sound casual as he and Tara walked to the gym.

"You know, it's the weirdest thing," Tara commented. "At the last minute, she volunteered to help the dance committee set up for tonight. When I called to see if she wanted to ride with us, she was already here, apparently."

"Almost like she didn't want us to see who she was with, if she came with anyone at all?" Ron asked, looking worried.

"This is Bonnie we're talking about, Ron. She's never had a tough time finding a date. She's never HAD to find a date."

"She's never really let anything take priority over a dance, though."

"I'm sure she's fine," Tara replied confidently. "She would've said something by now if she wasn't."

"Well, guess we're about to find out," Ron said as they paused outside of the open gym doors. "You're absolutely sure you want me to-"

"Yes, I am," Tara interrupted. "And if she says no, don't cave. Keep asking."

"Should I have a certain number in mind, or-"

"Five times, at least. Seven at the most."

"So if I hit seven, just back off?"

"Yes. If she won't do it by then, she probably won't at all. Tonight, anyway. But I'm hoping it won't come to that."

"Okay. We're ready." Ron took a deep breath. "Did I mention you look great in that dress?"

"You did," Tara said with a smile. "Doesn't hurt to hear it again, though. What brought that on?"

"Well, I'm about to ask your best friend to dance. I feel sort of obligated to compliment you first."

"Always the gentleman," Tara sighed happily, kissing his cheek.

"You can't keep doing that if you want me to dance with someone else," Ron groaned.

"Right, sorry. Let's go!"

They stepped through the doors together...and walked right into Bonnie, who was hovering at the entrance with a clipboard.

"Names?" she asked sharply, still staring at clipboard.

"I'm sure we're on the VIP list, my dear," Ron said in his best impression of Senor Senior, Sr.

"Look, pal," Bonnie snapped as she looked up, "this isn't-" She trailed off abruptly, looking thoroughly embarrassed. "Oh. Sorry, guys. It's turning out to be a very long night for me."

"Really?" Tara asked. She seemed to be looking left and right, as if she expected some fabulous guy to pop out of nowhere and introduce himself as Bonnie's date.

"Yeah. Half of these knuckleheads didn't know the first thing about proper decorating, so I practically HAD to take over there. And then there was a mix-up with the refreshments at the last minute, and the girl who was checking off names waited until like an hour before start time to have a nervous breakdown, so I had to do that, too."

"I hope this doesn't mean you're going to be too busy to have a dance or two later on," Ron remarked.

"Ron's right, your date might get lonely," Tara chimed in, still searching for the elusive guy in question.

Ron, however, was looking directly at Bonnie's face as she said it. He had heard people talk about someone's expression crumbling, but he'd never actually seen it happen. And as he looked at Bonnie, he realized at once that Tara had said the wrong thing. Bonnie's face didn't so much crumble as it started to crumble, then righted itself into something of a weak grimace that looked remarkably like her usual sour expression.

"I've got it all under control," Bonnie said a bit too quickly. She found their names on her clipboard, checked them off, and thrust two smiley face stickers into Ron's hand. "Yet ANOTHER weak point in this disaster area, someone forgot all the ticket stubs. Anyone accuses you of sneaking in without having paid, you show them these and make a mental note of their name so I can chew them out personally."

Ron was going to leave it at that, but Tara elbowed him a few times, so he sighed and turned back to Bonnie. "Save me a spot on your dance card?"

Bonnie was already looking at her clipboard again as the next couple came in, and she only muttered something that could've been, "We'll see."

* * *

Shego stared at the small artifact on the pedestal, wondering what she should do next. The pedestal itself was surrounded by what seemed to be an entire field of large washbasins, except each basin was constantly spouting a nonstop stream of angry red flames. There was no room to slip between the flames, they were too high to jump over, and the walls themselves had absolutely no spaces for handholds, and at any rate the room was far too wide for that sort of thing.

There was one option, but she wasn't sure it would work.

Shego licked her lips as she carefully approached the nearest basin. She tensed her body so that it was ready to move in an instant, and flicked her fingers, sending a few green sparks into the flame.

She wasn't entirely surprised the flames seemed to rise higher and roar louder at her.

"Just great," Shego muttered. She turned around to rethink her approach, and suddenly there was a strong gust of wind on her back. Shego risked a glance over her shoulder, and was more than a little startled when she noticed that the basin's flames were gone.

Curious, she turned to face the basin again, and groaned as the flames shot up again. "Oh, COME ON!"

Shego turned away again, felt the gust of wind, and sure enough, the flames were out again. "What do I have to do, walk backwards the whole way?"

There was no audible answer, of course, but it seemed to staring her in the face (or the back, anyway), and she had no other ideas. With a shrug, she slowly stepped backwards into the first basin, and instantly felt another gust of wind as the basin behind her extinguished.

"So that's two down, and..." Shego paused and glanced over her shoulder with a long sigh. "A LOT more to go. But I guess it's better than being shut up in a lair with those little monsters that pass themselves off as Kimmie's brothers..."

* * *

"Would you care for some more chocolate milk, Drakken-san?"

Doctor Drakken looked up from the table to see the girl staring at him expectantly. "Ah...no, thank you. I'm...fine. I think."

She nodded and swiftly moved away.

Drakken followed her with his eyes, and tried to squash the odd tingle in the back of his mind. He knew absolutely nothing about this girl, save that she had been in his lair when he emerged from the lab, and that she apparently knew Shego. At first, he'd mistaken her for an embarrassment ninja, but considering she hadn't said or done one funny thing the whole time, he was leaning towards regular ninja now.

Even more strange was the fact that he didn't seem to mind that Kim Possible's twin brothers were also present. He had a feeling that he SHOULD mind, yet he really didn't. All they'd done so far was use the phone to call their mother. That conversation (the side of it Drakken could hear, that is) didn't make much sense, either.

"Are you SURE there's nothing strange in the sample, Mom?" Jim asked. "Nothing at all?"

"Did you check it for rabies?" Tim demanded.

"I think that would count as something strange," Jim pointed out.

"Well, it never hurts to ask," Tim insisted.

"Just don't do anything to make her mad," Jim suggested. "Wait, she left already? Oh. No, no, we're fine. Yeah, she's cool. Ron knows her, we think. Um...pretty sure. Mom, I don't think she's evil, really. Okay, yes, she is working with Shego, but they haven't done anything bad yet. What? Mom, I don't think Yori...okay, hold on." Jim lowered the phone. "Yori? Mom wants to talk to you."

Yori took the phone, and proceeded to reassure Ms. Possible that her boys were in good hands. Drakken wasn't sure how she did it; most of her answers were pretty short and vague, but in the end, Yori had effectively volunteered herself to watch the boys, free of charge, with a promise to return them in good condition as soon as the situation was resolved. Drakken hadn't even realized there WAS a situation to resolve, but couldn't bring himself to worry about it. Instead, he sipped his warm coco-moo and hoped that Shego would return soon. She always explained things so that they were impossible to misunderstand.

"I still can't get in touch with Ron," Tim said suddenly. "He's not answering his cell phone. Hasn't for the last few days. I left so many messages that his inbox is full."

Yori seemed especially concerned about that.

* * *

Ron got the distinct impression that Bonnie had found the perfect way to avoid being dateless in the eyes of the public. Every few minutes she could be seen and heard shouting at one of her fellow dance committee members, to the point where it became obvious that she was practically running the whole dance herself. Of course, a lot of people had just gotten tired of being yelled at and quit, which left even more for Bonnie to do.

So by the time Bonnie was able to retreat to the bleachers to take a well deserved break, the dance was halfway over, and no one was paying her much attention, anyway. No one but Ron and Tara, anyway.

Ron waited a few minutes for Bonnie to catch her breath before slowly approaching her. She was focused on the cup of punch in her hands, so he quietly made his way to her row and sat a good distance away. He began to drum his fingers on the bleacher, waiting for her to complain.

Bonnie was either too tired or determined to ignore him, because she didn't even look up.

Frowning, Ron moved an inch closer.

Bonnie sighed. "You don't have to sit all the way down there, Ron. I don't mind anymore, and no one's looking either way."

Ron slid down until he was a respectful distance away. "So...about that dance..."

"If I say no, you'll just ask me again, won't you?"

"Up to a point, but yes."

"Ron, I've been on my feet all day, my throat is killing me, and all I want to do is go home and lay down for a week."

"So...that's a no?"

Bonnie glared at him and grabbed his hand as she stood up. "Come on, before I change my mind again."

Ron allowed himself to be dragged onto the floor; he couldn't believe that Tara's plan had actually worked, and that he'd only had to ask twice. If Bonnie was as exhausted as she seemed, then why was she doing this?

"Let's get one thing straight," Bonnie said as they came to a suitable spot on the floor. "These hands," she instructed, taking his hands and placing them on her hips, "stay here. They don't move, period."

"What if one of us has an itch?" Ron asked.

Bonnie's eyes narrowed.

"I'm totally serious."

"I'll take care of my own itches, thank you."

"You don't seem really into this, Bon-Bon."

Bonnie sighed heavily and slid her hands up to his shoulders. "Looks can be deceiving."

"Guess so," Ron murmured faintly as they began to dance.

It was nothing like Ron had expected. Bonnie actually kept her distance, or as much as she could while still holding onto him. Her eyes always seemed to drift away from his, or were firmly shut as she followed his movements. He thought about trying to talk to her, but somehow it just seemed out of place. Bonnie appeared to be enjoying, or at least focusing on something, and he didn't want to spoil it for her. So he kept his mouth shut and kept dancing.

* * *

Josh was trying not to read too much into this date. But it was getting awfully hard not to.

Kim had taken him to some hot springs in the middle of nowhere. At no time previous had she indicated he would need more than one set of clothing, so he either had to get in with all his clothes on, or off. Kim had already made her choice, and Josh knew it was best to follow suit, or risk displeasing her.

Sensing he was a bit nervous, Kim had given him ten minutes to get undressed while she checked some messages on her cell phone. Josh quickly found that the only thing odder than getting naked in front of Kim Possible was doing it while you could hear her brothers talking in the background. Even worse, he heard them mention Ron and some girl named Yori, which didn't do much for his mood, and probably wouldn't improve Kim's, either. She hadn't mentioned Ron for days now, and Josh got the impression that they were both trying to move on too quickly.

Absently, he wondered if Ron and this mysterious Yori were moving as fast as Kim seemed to want to. Then he wondered if she was only doing this because of them. It would probably be best to ask at some point, even if it did make her angry.

"Ready to take a dip?" Kim asked as she walked over, just as naked as he now was.

Josh did his best not to stare. "Listen, if this is about Ron-"

"He should be at the dance by now. That gives me an idea," Kim interrupted, smiling brightly as she fiddled with her cell phone. "Wanna take some pictures? For posterity, of course."

"Somehow, I don't think either of us should be thinking about posterity right now," Josh disagreed.

"Then we probably shouldn't be standing around naked like this."

"That was your idea."

"True," Kim admitted as she came closer. "So why don't we try out another of my ideas?"

* * *

This was going well, Ron told himself. Bonnie had gradually loosened up the longer they danced, to the point where she could actually look at him for a few seconds without turning away. However, she was still clearly tired. Several times he caught her blinking rapidly in an attempt to stay awake, and once her head even dropped to his shoulder, only to jerk back up, her face bright red.

"We can stop, if you want," Ron offered hesitantly.

"I just...need some water," Bonnie said slowly, shaking her head.

"We can dance any time. You don't have to do this now."

"This is MY dance, Ron. I put it together, and I'm going to dance here and now, not later. It wouldn't be as special another time."

"Sure, it would," Ron disagreed. "I'd still be dancing with you, Bon-Bon."

Bonnie's cheeks actually flushed again, and she quickly averted her gaze.

Ron was just about to joke that her face might get stuck that way when his stomach seemed to flip over, leaving him feeling nauseous.

_"KP,"_ Pak murmured in his head. _"Clanmate in danger!"_

Ron froze, and became aware of Bonnie calling him. "Huh?"

"Are you okay, Ron? You look pale."

"I don't...not sure," Ron muttered. "I just...I've got a bad feeling. I need to call...someone."

"Is it about a mission?" Bonnie asked.

"I hope not. I'll make this up to you, Bon-Bon, I swear. I'm sor-"

"Go," Bonnie interrupted, gently pushing him away.

"Maybe you should come, too," Ron suggested. "I mean, if we're going to be partners and all."

"Ron, I'm no good to anyone in my condition," Bonnie sighed. "If you really think you need someone to go with you, call Zita. She was going to Bueno Nacho with Monique tonight."

"What about Ta-"

Bonnie cut him off again. "I'll explain everything to Tara. We'll be fine, don't worry. Just go."

Grinning, Ron impulsively pulled Bonnie into a quick hug. "Thanks," he whispered before running out of the gym.

Bonnie was still trying to collect herself when Tara walked over.

"Where's Ron going?"

"Something came up," Bonnie answered softly.

"Oh. Well, did you have a good time?" Tara asked.

"Um...I think so." Bonnie shook her head slightly. "Listen, I'm going to...uh...go home. I'm really tired, and-"

"I'll go with you," Tara offered.

"No, you don't have to do that."

"I want to. Besides, with Ron and now you gone, there's no point in me staying. And I want to hear all about your dance with Ron."

Bonnie bit her lip. "Tara, I don't-"

"You promised that when you figured out how you felt, you'd tell me or Ron. Remember?"

"Yes."

"Something tells me that if you haven't figured it out yet, tonight got you a lot closer to the answer. Am I right?"

"Yes," Bonnie repeated quietly.

"Good." Tara took her arm. "We don't have to talk about it tonight. We don't have to talk tonight, period. But I want to be with you, Bonnie."

"Why?" Bonnie asked without thinking.

Tara smiled at her. "To be honest, I worry when Ron goes on a mission. Being with you makes me feel better. And, this is just a guess, but I think it might be the same for you. You're worried about him, too."

Bonnie was a little too tired to bother with trying to deny that Tara was right. "How can I not? He's so...clumsy, and goofy, and he's always had Kim to save him before."

"Then you have to be there to save him next time," Tara said seriously. "And you have to be able to save him. He's depending on you, Bonnie. So am I."

* * *

Yori looked up as Shego walked into the room, "How was your trip, Shego-san?"

"Here," Shego sighed, tossing the artifact at Yori without looking. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Is anything wrong?" Yori asked as she rose to follow, carefully slipping the small object into a pouch at her waist.

"Don't wanna talk about it," Shego grumbled.

"I am afraid I must insist, Shego-san. You seem...distracted. As good as you are, you are even better when focused."

Shego stopped short and slowly turned around, keeping a surprisingly firm grip on her temper.

"Please," Yori said simply.

Shego stared at her for a long moment. "You'll think I'm nuts. I do."

"I promise that I will not, and you are not."

The seemingly comforting statement did not have the desired effect.

"You sound...very accepting of that," Shego murmured, her eyes narrowing. "Very...aware of it. As if you knew it would happen."

Yori blinked. "I will admit I had a suspicion, Shego-san."

"Yeah? And what did you suspect, exactly?"

"That the spirit of fire would aid you," Yori replied promptly, her tone all too genuine to be joking or sarcasm.

There was an exceedingly long pause.

"Oh," Shego said at last. "So long as we both sound nuts, then."

"We are quite sane, Shego-san. The spirit is real. As real as the one that has possessed Possible-san. You did not detect it because it has yet to select a host. It has merely...accompanied me all this time. I am...unfit to wield its power."

"And...you're going to tell me that I'm fit?" Shego guessed.

"The spirit recognizes our cause is just. It will assist us without taking over our bodies. At least, until it finds the most suitable one. I do not think you have anything to worry about."

"So you're saying I'm NOT fit?"

Yori shook her head. "It is not a matter of physical ability, Shego-san. The spirit will select someone who is most likely to wield its power in a way that it considers most honorable."

"Ah. No wonder it didn't pick me."

Yori lightly placed her hand on Shego's shoulder. "Do not deceive yourself. You are very honorable, Shego-san. I would not ask aid of someone I did not respect."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Yori, but having the respect of someone who talks to ghosts isn't doing a whole lot for my self-esteem."

"Is it the spirit that you doubt, or my words?" Yori asked softly. "If it is me, then you might as well betray me now."

Shego's mouth actually dropped open as Yori seized her hand and pressed it against her own black-clad abdomen. "Yori...what are you doing?" she asked slowly, feeling the girl's body tense beneath her hand.

"If you do not trust me," Yori said, her voice amazingly calm, "then fire." Her fingers tightened around Shego's wrist. "I will make no attempt to defend myself."

Shego had worked with some arguably insane people in her life (and technically still did), but Yori was apparently the bravest, or at least the dumbest, and that was saying something, with Dr. Drakken in the next room. For all that Yori had explained, Shego knew there was much more she hadn't, and that alone usually would've been reason enough to blast her straight through the wall. But the incredible fact that the girl was placing her life in Shego's hands, literally, could not be ignored. Even Kim had never willingly done that, and much as Shego hated to admit it, that meant something to her.

"You want me to trust you?" Shego asked. "Tell me what I just stole."

"The explanation itself requires that you believe in the spirit of fire, and my words. Do you believe, Shego-san?"

"I'm keeping an open mind," was all Shego would agree to.

"Very well." Keeping one hand on Shego's own, Yori retrieved the artifact from her pouch. It was a thin, cylinder-shaped handle of sorts, fashioned from what seemed to be silver. It was entirely smooth to the touch, save for a scowling monkey head that had been engraved near the top. "This, if the legend is true, is the handle of a certain sword. A sword of flame, to be used only be one who has been chosen. Unfortunately, it was never mentioned who would be doing the choosing, who would be chosen, or even when they would be chosen. But, so far, it appears to be our best weapon against our current foes."

"The other spirit?"

"Spirits," Yori corrected. "I can only confirm the presence of three, aside from the spirit of fire. They are being...hosted by Possible-san, Ron-san, and Monkey Fist."

"I have to give Monty credit," Shego chuckled. "He always goes out of his way to include the sidekick. Although, considering he hasn't won yet in all this time, I don't know if that's a good thing or not."

"Ron-san represents a greater threat than you realize, Shego-san. And now that he has been taken over by a spirit, there is no telling what he is capable of. We can only hope that at least some of his true nature still remains."

* * *

Ron was currently in the midst of a very frantic night. Still unable to find his cell phone, he'd made his way to Bueno Nacho, where Zita and Monique had put away so many orders, the sight would've normally brought tears of pride to Ron's eyes. This night had ceased being normal, though, and instead, Ron asked Monique if she had any idea where Kim was at the moment.

Unfortunately, Monique was just as much out of Kim's circle of friends as Ron was now, and also like Ron, she'd assumed Kim would be at the dance with Josh. Zita hadn't heard anything either, but she offered Ron the use of her cell phone so he could try to track Kim down. While the offer had made Ron a little less panicky, calling everyone Kim knew (in Middleton, anyway) resulted in a huge waste of Zita's monthly minutes. It seemed Ron and Monique weren't the only ones Kim hadn't been associating with anymore, as almost no one had even seen her in the past few days.

Finally, Ron got an unexpected break when Monique's cell phone rang. It turned out to be Mrs. Dr. Possible, who was concerned because Kim had come home in tears, gone straight to her room, and wouldn't come out. The only thing she knew for sure was that Kim had been with Josh.

She had called Monique, hoping the presence of Kim's former closest girlfriend might offer some comfort (and had, in fact, already called Ron's cell phone several times, with no answer).

Mere minutes later, Ron was running up the Possible driveway and practically banging on the door. His mind had gradually filled with terrible possibilities as he made his way to the house, but only two constants kept popping up: Kim was alive...and she was upset because of something Josh had done.

"Ron, thank goodness you're here!" Mrs. Dr. Possible said when she opened the door. Impulsively, she gave him a big hug and kissed the top of his head before pulling him to the stairs. "Hurry. Kim needs you," was all she would say.

That she seemed to be putting all her confidence in him only made Ron more nervous as he ran upstairs and approached Kim's room. He could hear muffled sobs even before he reached the door, and despite the fact that they weren't friends anymore, Ron wanted to do nothing more than go in and convince Kim that everything would be fine. He wasn't even sure if she wanted to see him, though. Preparing himself for anything, Ron knocked quietly on the door.

"KP, it's me. Look, I know I might be the last person you want to see right now, and I know we'd had our differences, but...I still care about you. We've been best friends for years, and I can't stand to see bad things happen to you. Your mom is so freaked that she even asked me to come over and talk you out of there. So, whatever happened tonight, just know that I'm here if you need me, and-"

The door slowly opened, and Kim stared at him for a moment, her eyes red from crying. Without warning, she threw her arms around his neck and bawled into his shoulder, her whole body trembling with the force of her cries.

Ron carefully maneuvered her over to bed, where he tried to calm her down enough so that they could talk. Kim didn't seem to want to let go of him for even a moment, and Ron wasn't sure if that made him happy, or angrier that Josh had driven her to this, somehow.

Finally, Kim was calm enough to talk.

"It was horrible," she whispered. "Josh told me he didn't want to go the dance, because he'd found this great place he wanted to show me. So he drove us up to this lake with a spectacular view. Everything was fine at first, but then, he started...t-touching me, and..."

"And what?" Ron pressed.

Kim just looked at him, her eyes brimming over with tears. "He hurt me, Ron."

Ron didn't want to believe it. Kim was stronger than this. Josh couldn't have been that stupid.

Yet could he feel the rage building up inside of him, and oddly enough, it was originating from Pak.

_"KP hurt,"_ Pak growled. _"Clanmate must be avenged! Mankey pay!"_

"But, dude, are you sure?" Ron asked. "This all seems-"

Pak then sought out a term he knew would make Ron understand how serious this was. _"KP...MATED!"_

At once, Ron's sense of smell seemed to kick into overdrive, as if Pak had flipped a switch to provide proof. Ron could actually smell Josh's sweat on Kim, and more than that, he could smell Kim's blood. The fury that seized him was unlike anything Ron had ever experienced. He stood up and headed for the door.

"Ron?" Kim whimpered. "Where are you going?"

"To kill Josh Mankey," Ron replied as he left the room.

Kim wiped at her eyes, even as a cruel smile spread across her face. "Good boy."

* * *

Next Chapter: Semyaza Rising

Things are not what they seem, Monkey Fist moves out, and Bonnie is abducted.


	15. Semyaza Rising

A LONG Note to My Readers.

I've realized and admitted some things about myself.

1) I'm getting OLD.

2) I am, and have been for some years, fairly scatter-brained.

3) I don't have as much time or inclination for writing as I used to.

None of these help me write, by the way. But despite those things, I also still:

1) Get inspired by ideas for writing almost as much as I used to when I wrote obsessively.

2) Have a passion to write.

3) Hate leaving a story I am or was passionate about hanging.

4) Hate for my readers to be confused or upset.

The latter two happen to apply to this story. To this day I still get reviews asking me to continue certain stories, and the other day someone asked about this one. Normally I may not pay much attention to those. But I started thinking, why did I stop working on this story? So I dug up my dusty old box of story ideas (still on halfway-working floppy disks, if you can believe it) to see if I still had the old chapters for this story. I did. More than that, I had a mostly written next chapter. This was one of those stories where I tried to write a chapter in advance. In other words, I wouldn't post chapter 3 until was I was mostly done writing chapter 4. I can't really say whether that method helps the stories get done, but it does seem to keep them alive a bit longer.

Anyway. Why did I stop working on this story? I'm not totally sure. A few ideas spring to mind.

1) This chapter is... ah... delicate. Okay, that's not really the right term. Sensitive? Controversial? Possibly offensive? Point is, it focuses on an issue (a female forcing herself on a male) that may or may not hit close to home for some. And since the issue in question never happened to me or anyone that I know personally, my depiction may be off. By a lot (especially since it involves the realm of the supernatural in this case). So I wasn't all that confident about, and I'm still not.

2) I'm so very fickle. When I see a new show or read a new book, I get tons of ideas for fanfics. And then, eventually, inevitably, I move on. This happened with Kim Possible.

3) This isn't really a reason, but an oddity. Writer's block was never the issue. Along with everything else in the idea box was a fairly complete writing plan. So it's not as if I had no idea where I was going with this. I can only assume this is around the time I lost interest in writing for Kim Possible.

Anyway, here we are now. Will I finish the story? I certainly am going to try. I still have the angel book I was using as a reference (even still had bookmarks on the relevant pages). I still love Kim Possible's characters, even though I haven't watched the show in years. I still want to make you guys and myself happy, and I think finally giving this fanfic series the ending that it deserves will do that. So here we go again.

* * *

**The Primal Primate**

**Chapter 15: Semyaza Rising**

* * *

Despite her reputation as a party girl, Bonnie had always prided herself on having a strong sense of self-awareness. She did not wake up with no idea where she was. She did not consume mind-altering substances. She didn't accept anything from someone she hadn't known for more than two years. And while she'd been to many parties, she'd never gone to one without a trustworthy friend like Tara.

Because of all that, Bonnie was understandably alarmed when she came to in the back of a strange vehicle, her arms and legs tightly bound. The last thing she recalled was waking up to get a glass of water, but not actually drinking the water. Something must have happened to prevent that, but what?

"I am sorry for the uncomfortable traveling conditions," said a soft, unfamiliar voice above her, "but there was no time to simply ask for your cooperation."

Bonnie's head snapped up, and she found what seemed to be a girl her age staring down at her in the darkness. Beyond the girl's head was the open night sky, which meant the vehicle didn't have a roof.

"Who are you?" Bonnie demanded. "What do you want from me?"

"I have a feeling you would not believe anything I told you at this point," the girl replied with a small smile. "However, my name is Yori, and I believe we have an acquaintance in common. Ron Stoppable?"

Bonnie's eyes widened a bit. "_You_ know Ron? But you're a kidnapper!"

"Among other things, I assure you. Now, we are at a high enough altitude that I trust you won't leap to your doom. But I must ask that you do not cause any disturbances once I have freed you. My... friend here is very irritable, and prone to violence at the slightest provocation."

Before Bonnie could offer any sort of protest, Yori made a swift motion with her hand, and the ropes binding Bonnie fell apart as if they'd been cut with a knife. Naturally, this did very little to calm Bonnie down as she scrambled away from the girl.

"Please do not be alarmed. It is not our wish to harm you. We merely have need of your unique talents for a time. Afterward, we will return you to your home."

"How do you know Ron?" Bonnie asked softly.

Yori hesitated for a moment. "I suppose it would be best to say that we are former classmates."

It didn't take long for Bonnie to make the connection. "Wait. The student exchange program! So you go to school with Hirotaka?"

"Yes. I see now why he was so fond of his 'number one American girlfriend'. You are much more resilient than I suspected."

Bonnie blushed slightly. "Yeah, well, it's not the first time I've been kidnapped. I'm starting to think it's just one of the risks of going to the same school as Kim Possible."

"I am glad to hear you feel that way. I suspect I will not have to introduce you to my friend, then."

Frowning, Bonnie looked to the front of the vehicle, straight into the scowling face of Shego.

"No, that's okay," Bonnie whispered.

Yori reached over and lightly patted Bonnie's knee. "Don't worry. I am a friend of Ron's. I will not let any harm come to you." She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Shego-san is somewhat less threatening, once you get to know her."

"Yeah, right," Bonnie murmured, completely unconvinced as she sank down in her seat. Maybe Yori came from, they went around trusting people who blew up police cars on the evening news, but Bonnie didn't and she wasn't about to start now without an excellent reason.

* * *

It was times like this that Ron was glad he had a moped instead of a car. A car would've gotten him to Josh Mankey's house in plenty of time, still surrounded by a cloud of rage. However, since he was on a moped, by the time Ron reached his destination, the rage had dulled itself into a firm sense of purpose. It was his duty to avenge Kim. He would take no pleasure in it, nor would he feel anything at all during the act.

It was simply something that had to be done.

Josh's car was in the driveway, and that was all Ron needed to see to know his target was inside. He was a little surprised that Josh hadn't been smart enough to just keep driving. Kim was a well-known figure, not just in town, but the world over. Was Josh so arrogant that he thought he could simply go on with his life as if nothing had happened?

Apparently, Josh wasn't that arrogant, because while the thought was still running through Ron's head, the front door of the house opened, and Josh stepped out. At least, he began to. Before his foot could actually hit the ground, however, Ron's hand closed around his throat.

"I don't care what you say," Ron said softly. "I don't care how it happened. All I know is that you're going to regret what you did to her."

Josh stared blankly at Ron for nearly five seconds. Then his face twisted, first into confusion, then disbelief, and finally, surprisingly, fury.

"That's IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU PEOPLE!" Josh roared.

Ron was caught off guard enough that he didn't see the punch coming in time. He managed to move enough to make it a glancing blow along his chin, but it was jarring enough that Ron saw stars as he backed up.

"Hope you enjoyed it," Ron spat, feeling his jaw. "That's the only hit you're gonna get."

"You know what?" Josh asked, laughter slipping into his voice. "Go ahead. Hit me. I guess I should just get used to it, right? Nobody's ever going to believe anything I say again."

For some reason, Ron paused, and thought. He'd never liked Josh, but admittedly, the guy had never really been a jerk. Kim had gone out with him before, after all. And so had Tara, for that matter. But he'd never heard any talk around school that Josh went too far with his dates. All Ron really had to go on was Kim's word, and the evidence he'd smelled with his own nose. Evidence that, now that he really thought about it, could have been planted to give him the wrong idea. He didn't like to think that Kim could be capable of faking that kind of evidence, but then he reminded himself that she hadn't exactly been herself lately.

Slowly, Ron forced himself to calm down, and got a good look at Josh for the first time.

And instantly realized he'd been played for a fool. Just not by Josh.

Someone had been taken advantage of tonight, but it hadn't been Kim. Josh was sporting two black eyes, a bloody nose, and some pretty nasty claw marks along his left cheek. His wrists were red and raw, as if he'd been tied up for an extended period. Beyond that, his eyes held nothing but frustration, as if he wanted to be furious, but knew that would only make things worse for him.

"Kim did that?" Ron asked after a long moment.

"You're probably the only person that knows what she's really capable of, and you don't believe me, either," Josh chuckled, shaking his head. "I should have just driven off a cliff."

Ron was starting to feel pretty stupid. On a bad day, Kim could still take out a room full of henchmen if she had to. The likelihood of one teenage boy, armed with nothing but his hands and hormones, overpowering her was like saying a mouse could take down a tiger. And that was assuming that Josh wasn't evil, and didn't have a ready supply of knockout gas or tranquilizer guns handy.

Ron took a slow, deep breath. "Just tell me how she got blood between her legs. _Her_ blood."

Josh stared at him. "If I had to guess? I'd say she got carried away and even managed to hurt herself in the process. But now I'm thinking that was part of her plan, too."

"What?" Ron asked with growing dread.

"Yeah. She even thanked me afterward. I didn't know what she meant at the time. But now that I've thought about it, she must have set the whole thing up. Skipping the dance, getting me alone, and then... well, you know."

"Any idea why?"

Josh shook his head. "Look, I'll cut you a break. Did you and Kim stop hanging out because... did she try this on you?"

"What? No!" Ron cried.

"Oh." Josh's face darkened. "Then I'm glad I hit you. Whatever you two split up over, it's really messed up her head. You need to fix it, before she finds another... another victim."

Ron could tell it was a word Josh didn't ever think he'd have to identify with, and that it was only making things harder on him. So, with a silent nod, he went back to his moped and rode off, his mind full of questions. As an afterthought, he made a quick motion with his hand, and the virtual army of monkey ninjas that had accompanied him melted from the shadows and took to the rooftops to follow.

* * *

The guard understood his duty perfectly.

So when Monkey Fist bent the bars of his cell and then stepped through them, the mental command kicked in at once.

_"You will continue to guard the prisoner. No one will touch him. Do not allow it."_

"This way," the guard said, drawing the prisoner's attention.

Monkey Fist didn't question why the guard was helping him. If he proved to be a traitor, snapping the man's neck would be a simple matter. Tearing off the dividing door leading into the hallway was an even simpler one, and the startled guard just beyond proved easy prey for his fellow's forearm smash to the face.

Monkey Fist nodded approvingly as they continued down the hall. He could have easily disarmed the guard himself, but it was less taxing to have a worthwhile grunt do it for him. On the other hand, said grunt was only human, and the next guards they ran into would most likely have been warned to shoot on sight.

"Stop."

The guard instantly obeyed.

Monkey Fist knelt on the floor and bowed his head. "Grant me the immeasurable strength of the Nephilim," he murmured, placing his hands flat on the ground.

The guard waited patiently, until he heard shouts from around the corner. He was already reaching for his weapon when Monkey Fist suddenly grabbed his shoulder with a grip like iron.

"Come, servant. There is much to do."

By the time the armed guards arrived, all they found was a gaping hole in the ceiling.

* * *

After a few moments had passed in silence, Bonnie lifted her head and peered into the front seats of the hovercraft. Shego and Yori didn't appear to be doing anything important, so she figured now was as good a time as any to get some more answers.

"Am I allowed to ask questions?"

"Well, if you're not, you're in trouble now, aren't you?" Shego asked with an edge to her voice.

Yori shot Shego a look and smiled reassuringly at Bonnie. "Of course."

"Where are we going?" Bonnie asked at once.

"We are currently searching for Kim Possible," Yori replied.

"Are you sure you want to do that? She's been in a really bad mood lately, and she might want to fight you two... and me, actually."

Yori nodded gravely. "That is precisely why we must find her. She has been possessed by a spirit."

Bonnie stared at Yori for several seconds. "Oh. That explains a few things..."

"Such as?" Yori asked, suddenly seeming very interested.

"Why Kim and Ron aren't talking anymore, for one thing. I mean, they've been getting stuck in deathtraps together for years, and when they finally split up, it's over the way she badmouthed me? Guess I was too annoyed at the time to really think much about it."

"Wait, so you're _the_ Bonnie?" Shego asked, glancing over her shoulder. "The one Kim's always complaining about? If I'd known it was you, I'd have given you a medal! You have no idea how just the mention of your name is a total distraction for her. Throws off her whole game half the time, at least."

"Um... thanks?" Bonnie said uncertainly.

"No, thank _you_. Hey, if you haven't considered a career in-"

"Shego-san," Yori practically growled.

"What?" Shego demanded hotly. "She's perfect for-"

"Shego-san!"

"Oh, fine. But if even half the things Kim says are true, she was evil long before I got to her."

"Hey! I am not evil!" Bonnie cried. "Just because I don't think Kim should always get her way, it doesn't make me evil! Goody-goodies like her can be wrong sometimes!"

"I am very glad you feel that way," Yori said. "Your self-righteousness will prove to be a valuable weapon when we face her."

"You sure about that?" Shego asked doubtfully. "Personally, I'd prefer a club or something."

Yori pulled an object from a pouch at her waist and pressed it into Bonnie's hand. "You will know what to do when the time comes."

Bonnie studied the strange object. "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think poking Kim with a little silver stick is going to make her give up the ghost."

Shego laughed. "You better hope it does, because that's all you're getting from us."

"Can't I at least have some ninja stars or smoke pellets?" Bonnie pleaded.

Yori shook her head. "You have everything you need in your hand."

Bonnie glared at the back of the ninja girl's head as she turned around. _"What I need is about five more hours of sleep... and apparently, a better alarm system on my house..."_

* * *

Ron was not at all surprised to find that Kim wasn't at her house anymore. Mrs. Dr. Possible had tried to stop her, but hadn't wanted to seem too insistent, as Kim had been very determined at the time.

_"You're a stupid, stupid guy, Ron Stoppable,"_ he thought as he guided his moped out of the Possibles' driveway. _"Whatever Kim was planning, you totally fell for it. She didn't even have to use the damned Puppy Dog Pout on you."_

He was still in the midst of mentally kicking himself when Zita's cell phone buzzed in his pocket. Sighing, Ron dug it out without bothering to check the Caller ID. "Yeah?"

"Glad I finally tracked you down, Ron," Wade said, sounding relieved. "We've got big trouble."

"Tell me about it," Ron muttered.

"Is Kim still on vacation? This is really-"

"Vacation?" Ron interrupted. "She told you she was on vacation?"

"Yeah. Said the hero thing was causing her major stress, and she just needed a week or so off. I've just been holding the minor stuff, but this is the first really big thing. Monkey Fist broke out of prison."

"Wonderful," Ron sighed in frustration. "Any idea where Kim is?"

"Hold on, let me check her microchip. I know you guys haven't been talking lately, and... huh. That's weird."

"What is?"

"Couldn't get a reading, for a few seconds. Must be some sort of glitch. Anyway, Kim's at the Lowerton Center for Zoological Research."

"You mean the same place I left the monkey ninjas?"

"Yeah, actually. Maybe she suddenly thought of something she missed?"

"Maybe," Ron replied, his eyes narrowing. "I'm on my way now."

"Uh, Ron? Before you head out, I thought you'd like to know that I found your missing cell phone."

"Oh? How'd you manage that?"

"Not important. But help me out with this. If you and Kim aren't talking, why is your phone in Josh Mankey's backseat?"

"Kim had it," Ron replied without even thinking. "And let me guess. The inbox is full, none of the most recent calls returned, including some from you?"

There was a brief pause before Wade replied. "Okay, now you're scaring me."

"You're not the only one. Wade, I know this is a tall order, but if you hear from KP, don't believe a word she says. Something is seriously wrong with her."

There was another pause before Wade answered. "Ron, don't take this the wrong way, but can you give me some proof?"

"Call Monique, Zita's with her. They both-"

"Already talked to them. How do you think I knew to call Zita's phone?"

"And you still need more proof?"

"It'd be nice, considering what you're asking."

"Well, call Kim, and if you don't get any weird vibes from her, then I'll just do this myself. But I'm betting you will, so I'll be waiting for your call. Later." Ron slipped Zita's phone back into his pocket, biting down on his lip anxiously.

_"There's too many unknowns at work. Normally, I'd leave most of the thinking to Kim and Wade, but I'm practically on my own here. I can only go with my gut, and that's you, buddy. Help me out, Pak."_

For a long moment, there was no answer. The last thing Ron needed was to feel totally alone in this, and he was about to say so when he finally got a response.

_"Ron afraid of being alone. Brothers protect clanmates. Brothers help Ron."_

In a reddish flash of light, ten monkey ninjas appeared before Ron, kneeling obediently as they awaited their orders.

Ron licked his lips nervously. "Okay, here's what we're going to do." He split the monkey ninjas into small groups. "You five will come with me. You three, go check on Tara and Bonnie. And you two, go to Bueno Nacho and look after Zita and Monique. I don't want Kim hurting anyone else she's supposed to care about."

At once, the monkey ninjas who had been instructed to leave melted back into the shadows to carry out his orders. Their unwavering loyalty cheered him up only slightly. He could still remember a time when they'd been his enemies, and Kim had been the one that would never leave his side. It was so funny how things had changed.

Except that it wasn't really funny at all, now.

* * *

The Lowerton Center for Zoological Research was closed. Not just because it was after business hours, but because Kim Possible (or at least someone wearing her body) had walked in and proceeded to wreck the place. And even if she hadn't been recognized as the teenage heroine that she was, people generally did not question someone that was clearly A) on a rampage, and B) aided by superhuman strength.

Someone had called the police, but all that meant was that there were now several police cars parked outside. It was not immediately clear why the police hadn't gone in after Kim. Surely at least some of them were either familiar with her work, or had worked alongside her a few times. So the very idea that she might be responsible for breaking into a building that only held several animal species was a little hard to believe. They'd talked to a handful of witnesses (Kim had not been at all subtle about breaking in), so the police remained fairly certain that the Kim Possible was still inside, as no one had seen her leave. She would not, however, respond to any of their attempts to talk her out, nor did she give any sign that they could not come in. But nobody wanted Kim's stellar crime fighting career to end in tragedy, so they were treating the case with an unusual amount of caution.

Finally, a small team of three officers volunteered to go in. All of them had at least spoken to Kim on one occasion, and felt certain that this was all just a huge misunderstanding. As a show of their faith, they were willing to go in unarmed, but were eventually talked into at least taking their nightsticks.

What they found inside was rather puzzling: all of the animals had been freed from their cages. This included various snakes, a baby elephant, and most frightening of all, a full-grown lion. And while the animals were roaming freely, it didn't seem as if a single one had even left the building. The lion even gave the officers an entirely unconcerned look before resting his head on his paws and taking a nap.

Most puzzling of all was Kim: they found her locked in the lion's cage. From all appearances, she had locked herself in on purpose, and became extremely distressed any time one of the officers made a move to free her. She would not explain this. The only thing she would say was this:

"You need to leave before he gets here."

They did not know who she meant.

Not until an unmarked van drove up behind the police cars, and Monkey Fist stepped out, accompanied by a burly security guard. Monkey Fist's black-ringed eyes were entirely red, and his mouth seemed permanently stretched in an unnaturally wide, cruel grin. He paused for a moment, as if wanting to savor what he was about to do, and then, with a primal roar that shook every police officer to their core, he threw himself at them, and became little more than deadly accurate and bloodstained force of unholy nature.

Bullets flew. They had no effect.

Nightsticks slammed into his skull. He didn't feel them.

Tasers were jammed into his body repeatedly. He didn't even notice.

Tear gas blanketed his face more than once. All things considered, it probably made his breath smell better.

In the end, Monkey Fist looked out over the killing ground, and liked what he saw on so many levels. "Come, my servant," he said, beckoning the security guard forward. "Semyaza has a place for all who show him loyalty. And your role will be one of the greatest importance."

They walked in together. Just as the animals had with Kim, they moved aside to let Monkey Fist pass. They were not afraid, exactly, but they instinctively knew better than to get in his way. By the time they reached the lion's cage, there was no sign of Kim Possible at all. There was only the spirit that had clearly taken over her body.

"You have displeased Semyaza," Monkey Fist said, glaring at her. "You were tasked with creating and guarding the next generation of our kind. Instead you stand before me, defiled by a mere human. What is your excuse for your failures, Lailah?"

"Kim Possible is strong," the spirit whispered with her lips. "Though I can control her, always she fights me. My focus is divided constantly between Master Semyaza's orders and keeping her subdued. This body and soul... they are not suitable for me. Perhaps if I had been given another target?"

"Do you dare to question Semyaza's orders, Lailah? Have you forgotten your place in this plan?"

Kim's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps it is you who forgets his place, human. You are Master's vessel, not Master himself. I knew my function in Master's army long before you were even an idea in-"

"And yet you still manage to fail in such spectacular fashion," Monkey Fist chuckled. "Be glad that I am only Semyaza's vessel. Rest assured that were he here himself, he would show you the meaning of punishment. You have one last chance to carry out Semyaza's orders. When Michael arrives, you will do whatever is necessary to achieve your goals, or I, not Semyaza, will cast you back into the darkness and find someone more capable to do as he commands."

Kim immediately sank to the floor and lowered her head. "It will be done! I swear it!"

Monkey Fist smirked as he turned away. They were all so very easy to control, once their shared weakness was known. Even Semyaza, with all of his power, had only one fear: the all-consuming darkness that Monkey Fist had rescued him from, and where they fully intended to imprision both Ron Stoppable and his companion Michael for all of eternity.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Angel of the Pit**

Ron and Pak arrive to save Kim, but are quickly dragged into a battle that may cost one or both their soul. Things only get worse when Shego, Yori, and Bonnie finally step in to help, as Bonnie has her own gameplan in mind.


	16. Angel of the Pit

Notes: This is the first chapter I've actually written from scratch since the break. And it wasn't easy, but I expected that.

* * *

**The Primal Primate**

**Chapter 16: Angel of the Pit**

* * *

Although she didn't like to admit it, Kim Possible was no stranger to having her free will taken away. Throughout her adventures, she had been involved with more than enough brain disrupters, neural transmitters, brain swaps, and countless inventions with long names that surely did something nasty to the human mind. It had gotten to the point where having a neurosurgeon for a mother was an unexpected blessing.

But actually being held hostage by an evil spirit in her own body was something else entirely.

When Lailah had first hitched a ride in Kim's body, Kim had been easily and violently pushed aside. It had been like suddenly being shoved into a dark closet that was already occupied by a hurricane. There had been almost no chance at all of resisting. Not at first, anyway. But as time passed, two things became very clear: Lailah was acting under someone else's orders, and that someone only had a very vague idea of who and what Lailah was. Kim had been in the same situation initially, with one key difference: the more Lailah learned about Kim, Kim learned about Lailah. And there had been quite a few learning opportunities.

Lailah may have been in almost complete control of Kim's body, but she was very obviously not a local. Every few minutes she had to poke around in Kim's brain, seeking explanations for things that anyone even remotely human shouldn't have had to. Which meant that she clearly wasn't, for starters. Oh, she knew the language, at least large chunks of it, but as far as recent fads, Lailah was even more out of touch than Kim's parents. And her grandparents, frankly. The first time they'd been to Bueno Nacho, Lailah had taken one look at the menu, promptly given up, and demanded that Kim order something with meat, which Lailah could smell but was unable to ask for by name. But what Lailah either didn't know or didn't care about was that each time she poked around in Kim's mind, Kim got the same chance with her, if only briefly. And what she had seen was more than a little troubling.

Apparently, this was not Lailah's first time around people. It was just that she hadn't been around them in centuries, and even when she had, she'd been worshipped as some sort of deity. And even this was not really too disturbing, at least until Kim had figured out what type of deity. Lailah either was, or strongly believed she was, a fertility goddess. And because she hadn't really had a chance to practice in ages, she was very eager and curious about what she could do with two cooperating humans. Only she wasn't all that stuck on the cooperating part. It didn't help that either Monkey Fist or this "Master" she kept referring to had ordered her to create some sort of super baby. With Kim's body. And Ron's genes, apparently.

Kim's first reaction upon learning this, however, had not been horror or disgust, but laughter. She and Ron had been friends for years, and she knew him like the back of her hand. If he was suddenly going to fall in love with her, somehow, she doubted he was going to do so while both Tara and Bonnie were fighting over him. And if Lailah thought an out of touch goddess could seriously complete with two Middleton High cheerleaders for Ron's attention, even in Kim's body, she was going to be sorely disappointed. Ron was a decent guy, but he was only human. Not surprisingly, Lailah had been able to draw Ron's attention, but not hold it. Kim was a little annoyed that Ron seemed so... repulsed by a more aggressive Kim, but considering that he had been expecting a more judgmental Kim reacting to his first kiss with Bonnie, she could easily forgive that. But being rejected had brought out something dark and ugly in Lailah, and more importantly, something vulnerable. Lailah was not used to being rejected, and she didn't handle it well. She had actively started to hate Ron, considering his rejection an insult to her pride and abilities. It hadn't taken much. The next time that Lailah went snooping around in Kim's mind, Kim had offered a simple, sensible question.

"So Ron doesn't want you. Why do you need him?"

She'd only been hoping for more details on this super baby plan, but instead, had apparently inspired Lailah to find a more suitable mate. Like one they already knew was attracted to Kim, and she to him in turn. It wasn't as if Kim could have erased Josh Mankey's name from her head, or even kept Lailah from seeing it. But she had gone out with and liked other boys, so why Lailah zeroed in on Josh was a mystery to Kim. Honestly, there wasn't a boy that was less like Ron than Josh, so Lailah considering him a suitable replacement was... odd.

But as it turned out, Lailah had selected Josh not because of who he was, but because of who he was to Kim. Kim had been struggling against her control long and hard enough where Lailah had started to seriously question their compatibility, and at the very least, she thought a boy that Kim was actually attracted to would yield the best results. And Lailah had either conveniently forgotten or simply ignored that whatever it was that made Ron's genes so special to Monkey Fist, Josh more than likely didn't have the same. Yet she did not strike Kim as being unintelligent or misinformed, merely incredibly single-minded and devoted to a goal that did not exactly mirror Monkey Fist's.

It was becoming very clear that Lailah did want Kim to have a child. Not necessarily Ron's or even Josh's, just a child in general. Either she was convinced that she herself could improve upon the child to a point where Monkey Fist wouldn't mind, or she was ignoring that particular plan outright in favor of her own. But for whatever reason, Kim was having more and more success resisting her control, if only for a few minutes at a time. Particularly during moments of extreme emotion. And Kim considered it a very fortunate thing that apparently forcing herself on Josh against his will fell under that heading. He would probably never forgive her or even look at her again, but if it meant he'd be safe from Lailah, she could live with that. She was certainly going to try, anyway.

Since the failure with Josh, Lailah seemed different, somehow. More cautious, perhaps, or just more aware that Kim was actively plotting against her. While this didn't surprise Kim, it did worry her. Lailah had so far been behaving with little to no regard of how Kim would feel about it. If she was now going to factor Kim's reactions into her plans, it would only make Lailah that much more dangerous to everyone involved.

And then, without warning, shortly after depositing Kim's body in the Lowerton Center for Zoological Research, Lailah's presence had simply retreated from Kim's mind. Not entirely, of course, but it had been confined to a tiny corner, and it was enough that Kim suddenly had full control over her body again. Stunned by the new development, it had taken Kim a few seconds to realize that she was free, if only tentatively. But reality had come crashing back down on her: she could still feel Lailah inside of her, and suspected the spirit could and would come rushing back to the forefront of her mind at any time, if Kim made the wrong move. There had not been much time to make any decisions, however: Lailah's first act upon entering the building had been to release all of the animals, all of whom had immediately left their cages, but none of whom had actually left the site. And whatever it was about Lailah that had kept them from attacking had clearly been downsized along with her presence, because suddenly the lion had begun eyeing Kim in a way that she hadn't cared for at all. Beyond that, Kim felt certain that Lailah didn't want her leaving the building. The animals aside, Lailah had not simply brought her back here for no reason at all. Dangerous as it was, Kim needed to know what Lailah was up to.

Within minutes, Kim had locked herself in the lion's cage. While she had little confidence it could actually hold Lailah for long, it would at least keep them both safe from the lion. And, as if she approved, Lailah's presence returned enough afterward that the lion quickly lost interest and walked away. Though Kim suspected it was pointless, she decided to try talking with the spirit, since they seemed to be on the same page for the moment.

"How do you make the animals leave us alone?" Kim asked.

There was a loud, amused snort in her head. _"You speak as if I actually have to do anything, dear. They simply recognize me for what I am and act accordingly."_

Kim found that odd. What would an animal have to fear from a fertility goddess? But then, it wasn't fear. The animals weren't afraid of Lailah, they simply retreated from her presence, as if they preferred not to be near her. Now that Kim had been possessed by her, she could certainly understand that, but there did not seem to be any reverence in how the animals reacted to Lailah. Whatever she was to them, it wasn't any deity.

* * *

Though Bonnie did not trust Shego, she trusted Yori even less. It would be one thing if Hirotaka or Ron were there to vouch for the ninja girl in person, but they weren't. And frankly, Yori having chosen Shego as an ally did not sit well with Bonnie at all. Still, Bonnie had also accepted that she wasn't going to be able to escape anytime soon. Shego was keeping the hovercraft far above any potential landing spots, and while Bonnie did feel she was in considerable danger, it had not yet reached the point where she felt better taking a leap to her doom over the side. Besides, if Kim really was possessed by an evil spirit and these two intended to save her, Bonnie could do no less. Much as she genuinely didn't like Kim, Bonnie knew it would destroy Ron if something bad happened to his best friend. That, and having Kim owe her a favor was something Bonnie was looking forward to.

None of this, of course, made Bonnie feel any better about the fact that Yori had armed her with only a silver stick. Upon closer inspection, there was an engraving of a roaring monkey head on the stick, which only made Bonnie question Yori's plan even further. Yori seemed so sure that Bonnie needed nothing else, however, so Bonnie kept staring at the stick in the hopes that something would come to her.

It did, though as far as Bonnie knew, it had next to nothing to do with the stick.

Because suddenly there was a loud thump on the bottom of the hovercraft, and in the next moment, a monkey ninja had landed in their midst.

Yori reacted much as Bonnie would have expected for a ninja, producing matching fans seemingly out of nowhere and taking a threatening step toward the monkey ninja. Shego merely glanced over her shoulder, grunted, and turned her attention back to the open air before, apparently trusting that Yori would handle things.

Bonnie, on the other hand, was greatly relieved, especially when the monkey ninja turned to her, something that normally would have been a very bad idea with both a clearly armed ninja and Shego behind him. Seeing that Yori was still in attack mode, Bonnie surprised herself by quickly grabbing the monkey ninja and pulling him into a protective embrace. "Don't you hurt him!" she snapped. "He's with Ron!"

Yori blinked and frowned. "How can you be so sure? Monkey ninjas were once his mortal enemies."

"Okay, well, what are the odds that there would be two opposing groups of monkey ninjas in Middleton at the same time? Last I checked, they were with Ron." Bonnie paused to glance down at the monkey ninja, who had wrapped one arm around her and was glaring at Yori's fans. "See, he's okay. He just wants you to put those things away is all."

Yori hesitated, but finally backed off, somehow vanishing the fans in the same manner that she had produced them. "Very well, Bonnie-san. I will trust in your judgment, for now. But how do you suppose he managed to find us? And how did he get up here? As you can see, there is nothing nearby he could have leaped from."

Bonnie frowned. "I don't know. He's a ninja, isn't he? Does it really matter?"

"It might," Yori insisted. "If he was aided by a spirit, it would be extremely helpful to know which one."

"Well, unless speaking monkey is in your ninja bag of tricks, I don't think he can tell us."

Yori's gaze went to the silver stick still clutched in Bonnie's hand. "The spirit of fire does not seem to disapprove of his presence. I suppose that means he has had no recent contact with the enemy."

"So you trust some ghost you can't see over me?" Bonnie asked indignantly.

Yori smiled. "The spirit of fire has proven itself a trustworthy and reliable partner. You, on the other hand, still don't trust me. Not that I expected you to, given the circumstances of our first meeting. But you will see that my intentions are honorable in time."

Bonnie was no closer to trusting or even liking Yori, but not being trusted herself felt like a slap in the face, considering Yori was depending so much on Bonnie's help. Clearly, Hirotaka had not warned Yori to treat Bonnie with care, because while Kim Possible was the girl who could do anything, Bonnie was the girl who wouldn't do anything for anyone until she was paid the proper respect. Shego was another matter entirely, Bonnie knew where she stood with her. But Yori was a virtual unknown, and while Bonnie had plenty of reason to fear her ninja skills, she considered Yori's trying to be nice a mistake. It implied that she would do her best to get Bonnie's cooperation without actually threatening her with bodily harm. And so long as Bonnie had no reason to fear Yori's ninja skills being used on her, as far as she was concerned, Yori had lost any real leverage she ever had. As long as Shego was otherwise occupied, anyway.

However, what Bonnie couldn't have known was that the monkey ninja in her arms, while indeed being an ally of Ron's, was so much more. Monkey Fist had trained he and his brothers in the ancient art of Monkey Kung Fu, and for the longest time, it was all they had known. Then they been given the prediction that Ron Stoppable would lead them into a new age, and the monkey ninjas had shifted their allegience to him without hesitation or regret. He was a far kinder and less demanding master than Monkey Fist, and while he had never before called on them to fight for him, the monkey ninjas had kept their skills sharp, hoping for a chance to prove their worth. They would fight for him, kill for him, die for him, not because he was kind, but because they all believed in a higher power, and that higher power said that Ron was their reason for living. What was important to Ron was important to them. He had asked them to defend his clanmates against any and all threats, and they would do so.

So when Bonnie silently clutched the monkey ninja a little tighter, glaring at Yori's back and mentally filing her firmly under the "enemy" category, the monkey ninja sensed the direction of her thoughts and the shift of her body against his, and silently did the same.

* * *

Ron knew things were bad. He'd known that the moment he got a good look at Josh Mankey. But as he stared out at the dead and still-dying bodies of the police officers outside the Lowerton Center for Zoological Research, he realized it was time to officially classify the sitch as supremely bad.

There was always a chance that a mission would go wrong, and that, at worst, a bad guy might escape with the loot. And certainly when there were mad scientists and doomsday devices involved, there actually could be an occasional loss of life.

But this was different. This was wide scale murder, plain and simple. Maybe people like Dr. Drakken didn't care about the people they hurt, or the destruction they caused, but very few of them had the stomach to witness death up close and personal without tossing their cookies. Drakken especially, frankly. So this... this was very, very bad.

And Kim was somehow involved. In what capacity, he still didn't know. But if Kim's good name was tarnished any further than it already had been because of this, Ron was pretty sure he'd have to do some killing of his own. The Possibles were a second family to him, and not for the first time, he realized he would kill to protect any and all of them. Especially Kim. She was more than worth the sleep he'd lose over it, and if push came to shove, he knew the Doctors Possible would always let him bunk on their couch.

Taking a deep breath, Ron hoped he was mentally prepared for whatever awaited him inside. "Hang on, KP," he murmured. "I won't let you down, I promise."

Behind him, the five gathered monkey ninjas all hooted, as if in agreement, and Ron gave them a grateful smile before they all entered the building.

Right away, Ron had to force himself not to scream: there was a huge lion just inside the door, looking like the biggest, deadliest welcome mat that Ron had ever seen. Having heard him, the lion looked straight at him, but after a few tense seconds, it merely moved aside, sat down, and closed its eyes. Ron waited to be sure that it wasn't trying to trick him, then moved past as quietly as he could, with his monkey ninjas tagging along. Still the lion didn't move, so Ron finally dared to turn his back on it, certain that the monkey ninjas would screech a warning if necessary.

As he moved deeper into the building, Ron became aware of other animals running loose. Every cage he passed was empty, and any time there was an animal in his path, it moved aside after a few seconds. This was almost the exact opposite reaction animals generally had to his presence, and it didn't take him long to figure out why. "You're doing this, aren't you, Pak?"

Pak didn't really answer the question, mostly because Ron already knew the answer. _"KP near,"_ he rumbled. _"Save KP."_

"Yeah. That's the plan, buddy." Ron rounded a corner and gasped: barely teen feet in front of him, there was a lion cage, and in the center of it, sprawled across the ground and entirely unmoving, was Kim. "No," he whispered, darting forward and scooping up the keys he found on the ground. He fumbled through the keys as he ran to the cage door, searching desperately for the one that would unlock it. He was so focused on them that he didn't notice Kim had moved until her hands reached through the bars of the door and closed around his own. Ron's gaze flew up to her face. She looked exhausted, scared, and above all, relieved. "KP?" Ron asked hesitantly. "Kim?"

"You came for me," she whispered, her voice thick with tears. "I can't believe you came for me, after everything."

Ron stared at her. This just seemed... wrong. He and Kim had gotten into some pretty big fights over the years, but it went without saying that any bad feelings took a backseat when their lives and well-being were on the line. So Kim shouldn't have been surprised that he'd come for her. If anything, she should have tapped her watch and asked, "What took you so long?" But this reaction wasn't at all what Ron was expecting. It was... wrong. And Ron wasn't the only one who thought so, because suddenly Kim's voice, whatever it was saying now, was blocked out by Pak's.

_"KP... not KP. Clanmate... partnered."_ Knowing this would be confusing, Pak searched for a better description. _"KP... not alone inside. KP... like us."_

And it made a sick sort of sense. Kim had been acting so weird because she wasn't Kim at all, or at least not the Kim that Ron knew. But Kim didn't have Mystical Monkey Power, so housing a spirit connected to it had to be beyond awk-weird, and maybe that was why she'd been so off lately. But Ron didn't think that was it. No matter how weird Kim felt, what she had done to Josh Mankey did not even fall within the realm of acceptable weird Kim behavior. Whatever was inside her, it needed to come out in a hurry. For all he know, it might still be in control of Kim's actions. Really, it almost had to be, because she was still acting weird.

"Don't you worry, Kim," Ron told her as he continued looking for the right key. "I'll have you out of there in no time."

Not surprisingly, Kim was able to pick out the correct key at a glance (though Ron honestly would have expected her to know that whether she had a spirit in her or not). But as he slipped the key into the lock on the cage door, Ron was not at all surprised to find his senses working overtime. Pak was clearly expecting some sort of attack, and frankly, so was Ron. It hurt to think that it would be Kim's body doing the attacking, but he was sure the real Kim would forgive him for a punch or two once she had her body back.

The moment the cage door was unlocked and open, Kim wasted no time in throwing herself at Ron, who was fully expecting an attack. Instead, he got a huge, tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. Ron froze, realizing that the spirit in Kim was indeed very crafty. If he hadn't known about it beforehand, this certainly would have left him fully distracted and open to attack. But the mere fact that Kim didn't usually act this way was constantly sending out a very strange vibe, and as nice as the hug and kiss were, Ron couldn't really enjoy them because of the vibe. There was also the major issue of him not having any idea how to remove the spirit from Kim. All he really knew for sure was that he couldn't exactly trust her. It was a small comfort that there was no blood on her, which at least meant she either wasn't responsible for the bloodshed outside, or that she'd had a shower and the forethought to bring a chance of mission clothes with her.

"You saved me, Ron," Kim murmured in his ear. She drew back slightly and seized his face with her hands. "My hero."

Ron wasn't sure how he knew, but the moment Kim pursed her lips and started to dart her head forward, he'd already pressed a finger to her mouth to stop her. "Focus, KP. There's dead cops outside and I need to know how I got that way." That was really only half of the reason he asked, though. He wanted to know what had happened, but he also wanted to see how much she would or wouldn't tell him. Pak had already proven that he couldn't tell when Kim's spirit was lying, at least not when there was physical evidence, but now that they both knew what was up, Ron had to believe they were better prepared for anything she threw at them.

"It was Monkey Fist," Kim answered. "He's... changed somehow, Ron. Stronger, faster, and more vicious than I've ever seen him. Nothing the police did worked on him."

"And you didn't help them... why?"

"He got the drop on me and locked me in here before the police showed up. I think he's gone now, but we should be careful just the same."

Ron nodded. "So you followed Monkey Fist here hoping to stop him, and I just got here late?"

Kim nodded as well. "Sounds about right. Why?"

"Oh, it's just that Wade conveniently forgot to mention that when he finally got in touch with me. In fact, I had to ask him to find you, since even he had no idea where you were at first. Weird, right?"

Kim frowned at him. "What are you trying to say, Ron? You don't believe me?"

"Oh, I believe every word that KP says. Problem is, you're not her, are you? Not really and not totally." He seized her arm with an iron grip, taking full advantage of the strength that Pak seemed to be pouring into it. "Face it, Kim: you've got the spirit, and I don't mean the Middleton High variety."

For a second, it looked like she would try to deny it. But as Ron reluctantly continued to squeeze, passing the point where his grip normally would have snapped her wrist, suddenly there was resistance, and a great deal of it. Something in Kim's face changed, however slightly, and Ron knew for sure that he was no longer looking at his best friend.

"So it would seem introductions are in order," the spirit practically purred with Kim's lips. "I'm Lailah. You're Ron, of course, and your companion is no doubt the infamous Michael I've heard so much about."

Ron narrowed his eyes. "We prefer Pak, actually."

Kim's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really? Why?"

"That you don't know that just proves you're not the real Kim."

"Too bad for you, then. Because as bad as your chances of beating her in a fight already were, you certainly won't manage it with my power added to hers." With that, Kim lunged at him, and Ron was never more thankful to have Pak along for the ride, because he couldn't bear to look as his body moved aside and drove its knee into Kim's stomach, driving all the air out of her in a pained gasp. That wouldn't have stopped Kim for long, however, and the current version was no exception. Even as she stumbled back trying to regain her breath, she spun around with a high kick that slammed into the side of Ron's head and sent him flying. Where such a blow normally would have left him out could, Ron only had to shake away the stars before he was back on his feet.

"Oh, good," Lailah said, grinning at him. "You boys want to play, too. By all means, keep fighting. It will make your defeat all the sweeter."

If Ron still had any doubts about the spirit in Kim being bad, they ended there. "That's bad guy talk, missy. Which means you are so going down."

This only seemed to amuse Lailah. "Wow. So you can really force yourself to fight your best friend?"

"It's better than leaving her stuck with you."

"Maybe. But you know what's really fun?" Lailah asked. "Having her attack you, and then reducing my presence just enough so that when you do land a hit, only she feels the pain. Sure, it'll slow the body down, even damage it a little, but I'm betting it'll break you before it breaks her."

Ron was horrified at the thought, but before he could respond in any way, Pak's voice filled his head. _"She lies. She need KP's body healthy."_

"Healthy for what?" Ron demanded, but Pak either didn't know or wouldn't say, and Ron wasn't sure which possibility bothered him more. There was no time get an answer either way, because Lailah got tired of waiting and rushed at him, trying and failing to bury a punch in his gut. Ron saw it coming and was able to twist aside again, but even though Pak's assurance that Lailah needed Kim's body was still ringing in his ears, Ron could not convince his body to press the attack, nor could he allow Pak to do it for him.

Lailah paused, realizing what had happened at once, and smiled. "So sweet," she cooed, stroking Ron's cheek with the back of her hand. "I can see why she loves you so."

Ron glared at her. "Kim doesn't lo-" he began to say, but the brutal backhand blow came out of nowhere and felt as if it had left him with a broken his jaw. A fuzzy cloud of pain descended on Ron, and he sank to his knees slowly. Lailah's earlier attack had hurt, but this one felt stronger somehow. Ron could see no difference between them at first, but then he knew with startling clarity, without Pak, or Mystical Monkey Power, just why that was. "KP?" he breathed, every movement of his mouth causing him pain.

Lailah was standing over him, smirking, but her eyes were damp. "You little fool. All this time I've been fighting her, thinking there was no way I could ever control her completely, that we would never agree on anything. Then you come along, insult her strength, her pride, the very nature of her feelings for you. And suddenly, she wants to hurt you almost as much as I do. So by all means, keep denying her. It only makes her easier to use." Then her face twisted. "But don't you ever doubt what I am, what I can do. I should know better than anyone, what this body or any other like it feels for a mate."

"Yeah? And why's that?" Ron spat. "Who died and made you... whatever you think you are?"

"I would be more than happy to show you, lover, but I'm afraid you've proven far too unpredictable to trust. I don't think this relationship of ours can proceed until I get a little reassurance. Much as I don't have a problem with one night stands, I want to keep you close, just in case. So I hope you don't have a problem being chained down for a while."

The words were barely out of her mouth when something ice-cold wrapped around Ron's throat several times, making him gag uncontrollably. The metallic scent seemed to burn in his nostrils as his eyes watered, and before he could make sense of it, there was a warning screech behind him. Ron managed to turn his head slightly, and the sight that awaited him stole his breath even further.

A man at least eight feet tall was standing there, surrounded by a fierce, crimson aura. He gave the immediate impression that something had been stuffed into him, both violently and in the least efficient way possible. The muscles of his chest and arms were impossibly huge, straining against the very skin that barely contained them, and what remained of his security uniform hung from him in shreds. Most disturbing of all were the chains protruding from his bare back, as each one was wrapped tightly around the neck of one of Ron's monkey ninjas, save for the one wrapped around Ron's own neck. Even now, they struggled uselessly, and clearly had been for some time. Though darkness was rapidly creeping into the edges of Ron's vision, he had one final thought before he sank into it completely.

How was it possible that a monster of man so huge, who should have been unable to hide himself in any way, shape, or form, had been able to sneak up on a group of monkey ninjas without even one of them uttering a cry of warning until it was too late?

* * *

"I can't believe they got us kicked out of Bueno Nacho!" Zita complained.

Monique said nothing, staring warily at the two monkey ninjas that continued to follow them across the parking lot. On one hand, she wasn't crazy about being kicked out in the middle of a meal, either. On the other hand, she could certainly understand why Ned had put his foot down. Apparently, it wasn't the first time he'd had monkey ninjas in the place, and that time had nearly gotten Ron banned for life. Monique knew it had to have been serious, if Ned had been willing to lose Ron's business over it. She had a sneaking suspicion it may have had something to do with the monkeys confusing refried beans with monkey poop and acting accordingly. Or worse, perhaps Ned had mistaken monkey poop for refried beans. And this was so not a healthy chain of thought.

"You said they're with Ron, so what do they want with us?" Monique finally asked.

"To protect us, probably. But they could have done that from outside!" Zita glared back at the two monkeys. "You listened to me before! How is now any different?"

The monkeys offered no reply, and instead continued to keep an eye on their surroundings.

"Well, I guess this ends our plan to stuff ourselves so we don't have to think about not having dates," Zita muttered. "Ron would have been all over that, once upon a time. Before he got two girlfriends, anyway."

Monique frowned. "Are you including Kim in that?"

"Not since she broke up with him, no. Or whatever it was she did to him."

An uneasy silence followed, one Monique was eager to end. "Okay. I'm still committed to hanging out all night if you are. We just need to find a place that either accepts or doesn't frown on monkey ninjas."

Zita glanced at her. "Is this how you usually avoid worrying when Kim and Ron are on a mission? Staying busy?"

"I took the hint when Kim gave me a book full of ideas for hobbies for my birthday a few years back."

"Does it work?"

"Only when Ron doesn't show up all panicky like he did."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Zita hesitated, then added, "Maybe we could help."

"How?" Monique asked at once.

"There has to be something we can do that doesn't involve fighting or getting blasted by Shego. Maybe Wade needs help with something."

"Z, Wade is a super genius. If he needs help with something, I think we're pretty much screwed."

"Yeah, but he's never actually here, and we are. What about Kim's family? I'm sure they're worried."

"And we would do what? Go over and be worried with them?"

"You saying that's a bad thing?"

Monique shook her head. "I'm saying if Mrs. Dr. P wasn't worried by the fact that I hadn't seen Kim recently, she'd be even more worried if I showed up now wanting to hang with her. I mean, she's great and all, but we never exactly hung out before. Plus, she is a brain surgeon. She'd know what I was doing. She might appreciate it, but she'd know. So even if she didn't look worried, she would be."

Zita stared at her in shock. "You've given this a lot of thought."

"Yeah, well, remember how I said that hobby book worked for me? It doesn't, actually. Just gives me an excuse to look busy while I worry. And in that respect, it works great by allowing Kim to think I'm too busy to worry."

"Wow. Remind me again how Ron is Kim's best friend and not you?"

"They met first. And there's a big difference between cheering from the sidelines, and watching someone's back in the middle of a firefight. I don't know Ron does it, but I'm glad he does. Because if it was me... well, I'm just really glad it's not. Besides, I know I'm Kim's best female friend, so that's something. Doesn't feel like it right now, but between all the times she's been zapped or fried or turned, I'm kinda used to it. Just have to think of it as a phase that will pass, eventually. We'll all be back at Bueno Nacho before you know it."

Zita sighed. "So... we don't to help."

"Never said that," Monique replied, taking out her cellphone and mashing a button.

"Who are you calling?"

"Wade."

Zita blinked in surprise, especially when Wade picked up almost at once.

Monique grinned. "Hey, cutie. Listen, I know you're busy, but I was wondering if you have a way of keeping tabs on the Possibles. Yeah, all of them. Oh, really? Great. Yeah, that is considerate of me, isn't it? Sure. No, it's no trouble. Thanks. Bye!" She hung up and looked at Zita smugly.

"What did you just do?" Zita asked.

"We've got a location on Kim's brothers. They're in one of Dr. Drakken's known lairs. There may be a good reason for that, but somehow I doubt it. So we're going to go check on them."

"Um, did you forget the part about me not wanting to tangle with Shego again, Monique?"

Monique grinned at her. "No. She isn't there right now."

"And you know this how?"

"Because Wade knows it. There are only a handful of people on the planet with a power signature close to Shego's. They're all superheroes and blatantly obvious in everything they do, so finding them is never hard. Plus, Shego is the only one that ever bothers to hide. It's simple process of elimination. Wade's got a satellite hook-up that constantly scans for all of those power signatures, just in case. The last time Shego used her powers, she was nowhere near the lair. So if we hurry, we can get there, get in, and get out before she comes back."

"I'm still seeing a problem," Zita pointed out. "You really think the two of us can break into a mad scientist's lair?"

"Check your math, girl," Monique replied. "Last I counted, there were four of us: me, you, and our two shadows."

"What, them?" Zita asked, pointing at the monkey ninjas.

"Why not? You said they're here to protect us. What's the point if we're never in danger?"

"I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be the point, actually. And what makes you think they'll be enough?"

Monique rolled her eyes. "If Drakken could keep people off of his back without help, he wouldn't need Shego. But he clearly does need her, so I'm betting two monkey ninjas is more than enough if Shego isn't around. Besides, once the boys realize there's a rescue in progress, I'm sure they'll help any way they can. Trust me, you haven't seen stuff blow up until a Possible lights the fuse, Z. But there's one thing we have to take care of first." Monique spun around to face the two monkey ninjas, snapping her fingers to get their attention. "Listen up, boys. We're about to get into a hairy sitch, and I need to know I can count on you. Operation: TBOT has begun, and that means we're going to Take Back Our Tweebs! So from now on, you with the curly tail, you're Steel Toe. You with the crazy eyes, you're Pain King. When I say murderize, you murderize, got it?"

Much to Zita's surprise, the monkey ninjas began hopping in place and shrieking excitedly, almost like the only word they'd caught and understood was "murderize," but she wasn't going to even consider that being a possibility for a single moment. If she was really expected to charge blind into a mad scientist's lair, something else in her life at least had to make sense first.

* * *

It was nothing Bonnie had planned, but if she had, she couldn't have timed it better.

Yori and Shego had only said they were looking for Kim, so Bonnie had just assumed they had some surefire way of finding her. Bonnie didn't know much about tracking, but she'd overheard enough from Kim's missions over the years to know that people made technology to make tracking easier. She'd assumed that Yori and Shego had some. But once she really stopped to think about it, it was pretty clear that they didn't. Yori was a ninja. If she was good at tracking, it was something she'd learned, not something she needed a machine for. And as intimidating as Shego was, she was still, basically, a grunt. That meant her specialty was getting physical, not tracking. And the hovercraft clearly had no tracking equipment attuned to Kim, either. So they were basically flying blind, and dragging Bonnie along for the ride.

Meanwhile, Ron was out there, possibly alone, in trouble, hurt, or worse. And Bonnie was stuck with these two, the useless stick they'd given her but hadn't bothered to explain yet, and nowhere to go. What little patience Bonnie had naturally was just about gone. Something had to change, and it needed to change immediately.

So she slipped the silver stick into the monkey ninja's furry paw, and got the shock of her life when a stream of blue fire erupted from stick's tip and flew to the front of the hovercraft, splashing into the controls. Shego immediately jerked to the left, clearly startled, and the hovercraft jerked along with her.

With no real idea what she doing, Bonnie flung herself at Shego's back. It was only when a figure in black slid into her path that she remembered Yori. And though Bonnie didn't see Yori's hand move, she still felt the blow that clipped her chin and knocked her to the floor of the hovercraft. Her first thought was that maybe she should have planned this better. Her second was that at least she'd done something. Then the hovercraft jerked again, now pointing straight down, and suddenly all Bonnie could think about was dying in a fiery crash.

"Get off, you crazy monkey!" Shego screamed.

Bonnie's head whipped around, and her mouth fell open.

The monkey ninja was perched on top of the controls, which were curiously not burning at all. Yori was out cold on the floor, one of her legs still wrapped up in the monkey's long tail. And Shego was wielding that familiar green fire in her hands, trying to get back to the controls, except that the monkey ninja was in her way, still had the blue fire streaming out of the stick, and clearly was not budging. And he was looking at Bonnie, as if to ask what he should do next.

"Call him off before we're all dead!" Shego ordered.

Bonnie opened her mouth to do that, then thought about it. "No."

"What?!"

"I said no! You guys don't know where Kim is or where you're going, so I'm not listening to you anymore. I mean, I bet he has a better idea of where Kim-"

The monkey ninja hopped off of the controls and into Shego's seat. Then he grabbed the controls and jerked them back. The hovercraft responded at once, throwing Bonnie and Shego to the back as it gradually began to even out and then fly straight ahead.

"You almost killed us!" Shego hissed, glaring at Bonnie.

"My flying monkey ninja almost killed us," Bonnie corrected. "And he was only doing what I told him to. He listens to me, unlike some other people I could name."

"You throw another tantrum like that and I throw you over the side, Queenie."

"My name is-"

"I call 'em like I see 'em. And you almost got me dead, so I no longer care what your name is. You just better hope Yori is okay. She's the only reason I was putting up with you. And I wouldn't be shocked if she's changed her mind, once she wakes up."

Bonnie did feel the slightest bit guilty about Yori being knocked out, but reminded herself that a nice kidnapper was still a kidnapper. "Okay, new rules. I think I know Kim better than anyone else around here does. So since what you two were doing clearly wasn't working, I'm going to find her my way. And when we do, you two are going to start treating me like a partner, not a hostage. Because I have no problem wrecking the controls, jumping clear, and leaving you two to your fate."

Shego stared at her for a long moment, then wordlessly bent down to pick Yori up.

Bonnie took that as a sign and slid into the seat next to her monkey ninja, who glanced at her briefly but otherwise kept flying the hovercraft. "Thanks," she murmured, reaching over to pat his arm.

Much to her surprise, he immediately curled his tail lightly around her wrist, in what Bonnie could only assume was an affectionate gesture, considering what he'd done to Yori with it.

It was only when Bonnie pulled her arm back that she realized something. She was on a mission, if not to save the world, then at least to save Kim Possible, and was currently being accompanied by a very odd pet. "Oh my God, I'm Ron," she groaned. Bonnie did not miss the way that her monkey ninja seemed to perk up at that. "Relax, I'm just thinking out loud, you... um... you need a name. Okay, from now on, you're Artie." She pointedly ignored the loud snort from Shego's direction. Deciding she needed a distraction, Bonnie searched the control panel until she found something she recognized, and switched on the radio.

"-ing our top news story, authorities are baffled by what they are calling a massacre of local police officers outside of of the Lowerton Center for Zoological Research. Early reports indicated that world-famous teen heroine Kim Possible had broken into the building after-hours, and authorities were attempting to establish contact with her. We have been asked to stress that Miss Possible is not being considered a suspect in the deaths at this time."

The blood drained out of Bonnie's face. "Artie, fly faster," she ordered at once.

* * *

"Maybe we shouldn't be doing this."

Jim Possible looked up from the workstation between them to stare at his twin. "We already talked about this. Yori said that as long as we don't do anything that makes Dr. Drakken think too much, her little mind trick should keep him pretty docile."

"Not that," Tim replied. "I mean, maybe we shouldn't be upgrading his equipment like this. He'll just turn around and use it to threaten either the world or Kim. Once everything is back to normal, that is."

Tim shrugged. "Honestly, it's almost a point of professional pride now. I don't know where he got his henchmen from, but they know nothing about maintaining a laser security system. I don't think I could sleep at night, knowing there was one in such bad shape. Kim could get past this in her sleep. Actually, I think even Ron could, if he had a mouthful of hot sauce and a little luck on his side. Whoever set this up didn't even take Rufus into account. It almost makes you sad, really." Noticing that Jim did not seem reassured, Tim went on. "And hey, if you're that worried about, we could add a DNA reader so that only we can operate it."

"I don't know. Drakken could just make a really crappy clone of us. Maybe he has already. Kim said he does that."

"Okay, we'll put some other obscure security measure on it. We'll figure it out later. We always do."

Jim nodded, lowering his gaze back the workstation, and allowing his brilliant mind to focus fully on the problem before him.

Not for the first time, Tim wondered if it was the same way for their parents, and even for Kim. So much came easily to the Possibles, whether it was luck or their own abilities. Sometimes Tim wondered if they actually deserved all they had. Then he reminded himself that his sister had already probably come closer to death or serious injury more times than most people would their entire lives, more than she would ever admit to them, and figured that life owed them big.

* * *

It was not the pain alone that woke Ron up, but the very real sensation that he was being ripped in two. Then he turned his head to left and saw that he was.

He was in a small, dimly lit office. There was a body lying on the floor next to him, or at least it looked like it was body-shaped. But it was also glowing bright red, almost entirely featureless, and the lines that composed it seemed to drift between solid and transparent every few seconds. Both of them were restrained by the chains that had knocked Ron out in the first place, and most worrying of all, both Ron's left arm and the body's right arm seemed to be occupying the exact same space, yet he felt absolutely no discomfort there, save for the chains.

Ron experimentally tried to move his left arm, and froze when the other body twitched and seemed to turn toward him. _"Ron,"_ said a familiar voice in his head, except that it was also coming from the other body as well.

His eyes widened in shock. "Pak?! Oh man, buddy, what'd they do to us?!"

There was a long pause, and then Pak replied hesitantly but with an unmistakable regret in his tone, _"Dying."_

Ron just stared at him, unable to respond to that.

Pak tried again. _"Dying because of me."_

"What? No way!" Ron answered. "I mean, okay, you did some pretty weird things to my body, but you're one of the good guys!"

Pak shook his head, and for a moment, Ron was able to see what looked like red eyes centered in the body's face. _"Chains. Only hurt me. Ron hurt because... Ron and Pak partnered."_

Ron let that idea roll around in his head for a moment. "But... the monkey ninjas. They were hurt, too."

_"Pak shared power with brothers."_

That wasn't too surprising, all things considered. But it also gave Ron an idea. "So, these chains... they only hurt spirits, or bodies touched by spirits. Does that mean they could get that spirit out of Kim?"

_"Yes. But bad idea."_

"What? Why?"

Pak sighed. _"Chains made to harm. Torment. Bring suffering. Ron want that for KP?"_

"Of course not! But it's all we've got right now, and if it gets that thing out of her..."

_"Not thing,"_ Pak corrected at once. _"Clanmate."_

"Oh, no way! Not after what she did to KP! That-"

_"Not Ron clanmate,"_ Pak explained, and his eyes surfaced again, but were unable to meet Ron's. _"Pak clanmate."_

Ron stared at him. "You mean... she's the same as you? A... monkey spirit? But she's evil, dude!"

_"Was not always. Is now."_ Pak briefly poked into Ron's brain, seeking the words he needed. _"Sister... twisted. Changed. Broken and rebuilt. Again and again. Cannot remember self as should be. Lost."_

Ron was entirely unmoved. He wasn't about to feel sorry for the thing that had taken Kim from him. Maybe once it was out of her, he'd feel differently, but he doubted it. And he was pretty sure Kim would feel the same way. Maybe she had been over Josh Mankey and maybe she hadn't, but if word ever got out about what she'd done to him, her days of saving the world and being treated like a hero were over. And Ron didn't care how messed up Lailah was, he'd never forgive her if she'd wrecked Kim's life beyond what he could repair.

"So you want to save Lailah?" Ron guessed, hating the way the words felt leaving his mouth.

_"No,"_ Pak replied firmly, surprising him. _"Pak save Ron and KP. Pak protect new clan."_

Ron couldn't help grinning at him. "Well, okay, partner. Got any ideas on how we get out of this mess?"

_"They will use chains to take Pak from Ron. When they do, Ron must let them."_

"Um, what? That's your plan? What about the chains causing pain and suffering?"

_"Ron will hurt much,"_ Pak admitted. _"But Pak won't let Ron die."_

"Plan's still not sounding too great, though."

_"When they take Pak, they will open Pit. Pit will attract all spirits close to it."_

Ron blinked slowly. "So, if we get KP close to this Pit, Lailah might be pulled out of her?"

Pak nodded. _"Must be careful. Might be only chance to save KP. Nothing else matters."_

For some reason, Ron didn't like the way that sounded, and not just because they could lose Kim for good. Something about the way Pak was speaking bothered him a great deal, but he couldn't put his finger on it at the moment. Even worse, there was no time for it, because suddenly the entire building began to tremble violently. Normally, Ron might have tried to make a joke about it, in order to distract himself from how afraid he was, but all he could think about was saving Kim. Once they'd had time to regroup, they could deal with the rest.

Without warning, the door to the room was ripped off of its hinges, and through the open doorway, Ron could easily see the enormous man with the chains. He looked just as bad as the last time, except that now he was grinning in a way that could mean nothing good. As Ron watched, the man sunk his meaty fingers into the floor, and ripped it apart with his bare hands. But where there should have been another layer of floor, or even ground, there was only a dark, deep hole, and entire sections of the floor began falling away as the hole spread to take up most of the room. Ron could feel something about the hole tugging at him when he looked at it, and it was incredibly difficult to avert his eyes. This could only be the Pit that Pak had spoken of.

Suddenly, a disturbingly familiar voice rang out, but it was changed, somehow: deeper, rougher, and with a strange, echo quality to it.

"Drag them, Apollyon! Drag them into the deepest darkness, oh Guardian of the Pit!"

"Monkey Fist," Ron growled, and then he was screaming as the chains around his body tightened and began to course with what felt like electrical fire. Agony unlike anything Ron had ever known rolled over every inch of his body, and though he could not hear Pak screaming, he still knew there was no way anything could withstand such pain and not scream. And through the pain, Ron could feel that he was indeed being dragged, slowly but surely, toward the Pit, just as Pak was.

It was only when Ron had been pulled out of the small office that he realized how much trouble they were in.

First, there was Lailah. And it was definitely her, and not Kim, because when their eyes met, a cruel smile spread across her lips. She was sitting against the wall, with her legs folded beneath her, and her hands resting on her knees. At first, Ron thought it was odd that she wasn't laughing or taunting him, as she had been before. Then a bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face, and he realized that Lailah was being influenced by the Pit as well. She wasn't taunting him because it was taking all of her effort not to be drawn to the Pit. Ron had no idea how she was doing it, but she wasn't being moved at all. Then again, her eyes were fixed firmly on him, and not on the Pit.

Next, there was Monkey Fist at Lailah's side. He, too, was focused on not being moved, but it didn't seem to take nearly as much effort on his part. This was no doubt in part because of the enormous crimson aura surrounding him. Where Pak's form was at least vaguely Ron-shaped now, Monkey Fist's aura seemed almost ten times the size of his body, as if a see-through gorilla had swallowed him whole. His eyes were fixed on Ron as well, but there was no laughter, no taunting, only grim satisfaction. Whatever Monkey Fist was now, there was clearly still enough of him in there to enjoy watching Ron suffer.

Worst of all, there was the now-named Apollyon perched on the far side of the Pit. Unlike every other spirit present, he seemed entirely immune to the pull of the Pit. With every movement, his human hostage strained to contain him, and as Ron watched, a rip appeared in one of the man's bulging biceps, and it began to bleed something that was too dark to be entirely blood. Ron understood then, with startling clarity, what Monkey Fist's grand plan was, and how close it was to being realized.

Monkey Fist had brought Hell to Earth. Only he had left the door open, and he was about to send Ron and Pak through it.

There wasn't going to be much time left. Pak was closer to the Pit than Ron, but not by very much. And it certainly looked as if any plan that had involved Ron being used in some way had already been abandoned. Maybe Lailah was just that nuts, or maybe her plans had been overridden. It didn't really matter anymore.

What did matter, however, was the green fireball that suddenly flew over Ron's head and slammed into Apollyon's face with a terrific explosion. The pull from the Pit immediately relaxed considerably. Ron tilted his head back, certain he'd seen wrong, and got the upside-down shock of his life. Because unless he was crazy, Shego was standing at the other end of the room, with both hands aflame.

"Shego," Monkey Fist said in that odd, dual voice. "I must admit I can think of no reason for you to be here. In case you hadn't noticed, we're about to rid you of the buffoon. You might show a little appreciation."

"Confused, Monty?" Shego asked with a throaty chuckle. "Let me see if I can make it easy for you. You see me eating a burger and fries. You know I enjoy my burger and fries. You steal my burger and fries, coat them in monkey poop, act surprised when I show up to get them back, and then you try to bribe me by saying you'll eat the damn fries. Well, it doesn't work that way. You owe a monkey-poop free meal. So I'm only going to say this once. Get your filthy paws off of my Kimmie and my sidekick, or you become the first monkey to discover just how effective superheated plasma is as a suppository."

All Ron's thoughts of kissing Shego in gratitude dried up with that particular mental image. But he couldn't say Monkey Fist was undeserving of such treatment.

Monkey Fist sighed. "Very well. I see I have no choice." His eyes flicked over to Lailah. "Kill her."

Lailah had crossed the room in seconds, only to receive a powerful backhand across the face that surprised her more than it hurt her. But even that was enough to stun her long enough for Shego to send her flying with another green fireball.

"You use Kimmie's body, but not her fighting style. Don't want to be too predictable, I guess." Shego smirked as she stood over Lailah. "Only problem is, Kimmie's the only one in my league. So if you don't fight like her, you're just wasting my time, little ghost. And I got no problem beating this body bloody until you give it up."

**End of Chapter 16.**

* * *

**Next Chapter: The Purest Heart**

With everything on the line, Bonnie finally has a chance to save the world. But Ron suddenly is her world, and the only one she can't bear to lose. Real heroes can't afford to be selfish. But Bonnie is no hero. Or is she?

* * *

Endnotes:

Obviously, I took so long with this story that FFNet changed their rules on answering reviews in a story. But I do still encourage questions, because I know certain things can get very confusing. And it's been a while, so maybe I didn't explain other things so well.


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